In Denmark, it's commom that someone close makes a speech at the party when someone gets confirmed, married or whatever. When my parents had been married for 25 years, I so wanted to make a speech for them, but I couldn't get up and do it. Also in a school I went to in Jutland for 6 months, the teacher "forced" us all to do a 2 min. speech - we could choose the subject. I found it really difficult to do, in spite of how well I knew the people and how much fun we had. At least I tried!

I have actually made a short speech later, but only to about 5-6 people - and after a few glasses of wine.