Why is it rude? I don’t understand that. Do we say something when someone coughs or burps?
I don’t expect anyone to say anything when I sneeze and in fact am a little annoyed when they do, because then I have to acknowledge their superstition by saying “Thank you.”
Perhaps I’m just a curmudgeon.
ETA: Okay, I’ve read further and saw your explanation. But still . . . I disagree that not saying it is rude. I kinda thing saying it is rude.
@rocking chair - Well that’s embarrassing. Huge Seinfeld fan and that totally went over my head. Good call!
@kapri - I guess that makes me a curmudgeon too. I don’t want to feel obligated to say it (which is why I’m not saying it anymore) and I certainly don’t want to feel obligated to thank someone for something I really didn’t ask for.
I was filling a co-worker in on this whole situation today. I realized when telling him the story that my record was probably only about 50% in the past. So I wasn’t a huge fan of blessing people as it was. Seems no one really noticed until my gf opened her big mouth to my family. Ugh!
I hate being blessed for sneezes. Thank you from the multiple sneezers of the world. Especially since the person saying “bless you!” from across the room also likes to cackle and joke about it once I get past three. THAT is rude.
I like “gezundheit”. Wishing someone health seems like a polite thing to do, just in general.
I’m also partial to “Soul come back here”, which I read somewhere is what some primitive tribe says whenever they sneeze.
I’m not a blesser. I sneeze too much myself to want to have to say something when someone else sneezes. Once in a blue moon, I might say something like ‘salud’ if the whim strikes. If they’re sneezing a lot, I’ll just tell them to go home.
If your GF demands you respond to her sneezes, you could try the one my brother sprung on me once, “I secularly acknowledge your sneeze.”