Ok here’s the deal. I’m not a religious person, and at times I feel rude not to say something when someone sneezes, but at the same time I don’t particularly want to say “Bless You” either. I was trying to think of what else to say, in German they use ‘Gesundheit’ meaning good health. So anywho, to make a long story short…any ideas on an alternative IN English on how to say ‘Bless You’
(and yes…i do have time on my hands since exams don’t start for another 2 weeks :P)
Cheers
This should probably be in IMHO.
Anyway, I always say “gesundheit,” both because I’m not religious and that’s what my mother always said when I was growing up, she being of German descent. Besides, it makes more sense to wish someone good health after they sneeze than to bless them.
I can’t really think of any English alternatives to “bless you.” It’s really a meaningless phrase, though, since I doubt even the religious see themselves as conveying a blessing on the sneezer when they say “bless you.”
If you want to speak English, you might be stuck with it.
-Loopus
How about You are soooooo good lookin’?
Colin
Why do you consider it rude not to say anything at all? I too have a problem with “Bless you”, not because of any religious nature, but because it always struck me as rather superstitious.
My freshman English teacher demanded that everyone yell “Gesundheit!” as loud as possible when anyone in the class sneezed. Toward the end of the year, it became second nature. This was especially amusing when taking the final for that class.
GQ is for questions with factual answers. Since this is more a matter of opinion than fact, I’ll send this thread over to IMHO.
i prefer “didja get any on ya?”
I usually say, “hail sneezer!”
hahaha…so far the best one has to be "you are sooooooooooooo good looking
xcept there’s a slight prob…what if you’re a guy (as I am) and the other person that sneezes is a guy too??
Hm. I always thought Ghesundheit was German for “If you sneeze near me again I’ll kill you.”
Learn something new every day.
My slightly crazy AP US history teacher always said, “God bless the United States of America!” after she sneezed. She never said anything after anyone else sneezed, though. Yeah, she was a little odd.
I never say anything on the first sneeze.
But, if someone sneeze a second time I say very loud.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP THAT !
The alternative mooted by Seinfeld was “You’re so good looking!”. Which is something everyone likes to hear, rather than the meaningless “Bless you”.
I prefer not to say anything if someone near me sneezes. I don’t feel the need to verbally acknowledge other bodily functions, so sneezes receive no special dispensation from me.
According to Dictionary.com, “bless” can also mean
An example of this usage is found in Genesis 27:27…
So saying “Bless you” to someone doesn’t necessarily mean “I invoke the name of the Judeo-Christian Almighty to manifest health and prosperity unto you.” It can simply mean, “I wish you health [and prosperity and so on].”
I have a friend who is seriously un-religious. He usually gets mad if I say ‘bless you’ or ‘ghesundheit’, so I usually say “Hagen Das” or ‘fruzun glace’ (sp?) or “would you knock that off?” to him.
I prefer ‘bless you’. It’s nicer.- Singles 
“Hey! Cover your god damn mouth when you do that!”
There was a thread a while back that may have gotten lost in the Great Purging, but someone commented that when people sneeze you should say (paraphrasing here) “Where’s your Christ now, God-boy?” I almost pissed myself over that one- Mr. Kitty uses it every now and then. 
I say gesundheit, and if there’s a second sneeze they get the German for ‘and again.’ I don’t feel uncomfy about that, mainly because the majority of the population has heard, at some point in their lives, the word gesundheit, and they at least recognize that I’m following the unspoken rules of society.
I can’t think of a good English response that isn’t snide or sarcastic. You may have to resort to not saying anything, offering them a kleenex, or saying gesundheit.
-BK
Unless you are talking directly to someone when they sneeze, I don’t see why you should ever say anything. As someone who has terrible allergies, I find it frustrating when each sneeze brings the attention of complete strangers to myself at a time when I least want it, and I am forced to acknowledge their comments. I’ll do just fine without your silly "bless you"s, thank you. Why add to the disruption that my series of sneezes are causing? I already feel bad enough about it, and it makes me feel more self-conscious and embarrassed, especially in the middle of someone else’s lecture during class.
I’ve gone the way of saying “Excuse Me” right after I sneeze. It tends to confuse people, but it puts the burden of saying anything on me.
“I asked for the news, not the weather”?