Do you say "Bless You" when someone sneezes?
613937
Yes, I do. Although, I have noticed that some people seem to dislike being told that. I've always wondered about it. One person said, "You don't have the power" Is it a touchy subject?
211862
I dont agree with the question to begin. It doest necessarily have to occur like this. Ive heard a lot of people sneeze and not everyone sneezes after them.
242647
I say cheers when leaving or in receipt of something, like as in "Thank you."\n\nWhy do i say this? \n\nBecause its of local accent
865532
Origins\n\nOne traditional explanation for the custom is that it began literally as a blessing. Pope Gregory I the Great (AD 540-604) ascended to the Papacy just in time for the start of the bubonic plague in AD 590 (his successor succumbed to it). To combat the plague, Gregory ordered litanies, processions and unceasing prayer for God's blessing. When someone sneezed (seen as the initial onset of the plague), they were immediately blessed ("God bless you!") in the hope that they would not actually develop the disease.\n\n[edit] Superstition\n\nOther explanations are based on superstitions and urban legends about sneezing and what a sneeze entails. Some well known superstitions that may have contributed to bringing "bless you" into common use are:\n\n    * The heart stops when you sneeze (it doesn't), and the phrase "bless you" is meant to ensure the return of life or to encourage your heart to continue beating.\n    * A sneeze is the expulsion of some sort of evil, and the phrase is meant to ward off the evil's re-entry.\n    * Your soul can be thrown from your body when you sneeze, and saying "bless you" prevents your soul from being stolen by Satan or some evil spirit. Thus, "bless you" or "God bless you" is used as a sort of shield against evil.\n    * A sneeze is good luck and saying "bless you" is no more than recognition of the sneezer's luckiness.\n\nAlternatively, it may be possible that the phrase began simply as a response for an event that wasn't well understood at the time.\n\nAnother urban legend states that you cannot open your eyes while you sneeze, or if you manage to your eyes will pop out. Both of the statements are untrue.\n\n Modern use\n\nIn many English-speaking countries, the German equivalent, gesundheit (which roughly means "good health!"), is proffered after sneezing.
488894
◙ when it's feverish and sneezes alot. :)
775898
i dont say "bless you".... i say "gesundheit"
364841
the term might have come about earlier.. but mostly started being used as it is today around the reformation era, (Martin Luther, John Calvin.) the followers of these denominations believed strongly in "evils" and possession/demons, (early on, not so much today). They believed when you sneezed it was an opening of your soul and body, (which made you weak) this might let "bad" spirits in. So they began to say God bless you, as a way to save the person sneezing from evils. This also explains why the saying exists in many of the areas where "reformed" peoples settled, Germany, England, us, and not in other regions of the world, (Asians do not remark at all, in fact sneezing is offensive.)
604569
You sneeze with your eyes open.
622343
Its custom and considered mannerly.\n\nOriginaly, if a virgin sneezed three times without being blessed, the Faery folk could take her.
1057372
When you sneeze it indicates that you don't feel well. So when people hear you sneeze they say "bless you". Farting is generally not an unhealthy function, just impolite to do it in front of other people. When you fart you should say "excuse me" and the reply should be "you are excused".\n\nBy the way, do you know why farts stink so bad?\n\nAnswer: So that deaf people can enjoy them too!
495560
German:  Gesundheit!\nSweden, Norway, and Denmark is usually replied to with "prosit"\nFinland the reply is "terveydeksi"\nKerala:  Ayyappa\nIslamic society:  a sneezer generally thanks God by saying "Alhamdulillah"\nChinese culture:  a sneeze is a sign that someone is thinking about you and you might hear some one say "you ren xiang ni", which translates into "someone is thinking about you".\n\nIn Spanish-speaking countries, when children sneeze the following is said:\nOne sneeze: Salud (To your health) \nTwo sneezes: Salud y dinero (To your health and wealth) \nThree sneezes: Salud, dinero y amor (To your health, wealth and love) \nFour sneezes: Salud, dinero, amor, y alergias (To your health, wealth, love, and allergies) \n\nIn French-speaking countries, sneezing is accompanied by the following phrases:\nOne sneeze: � vos souhaits (To your wishes) \nTwo sneezes: � vos r�ves (To your dreams) \nThree sneezes: � vos amours (To your loved ones) \n\n\nhttp://www.netlaputa.ne.jp/~tokyo3/e/sneeze_e.html
131214
Traditionally, a sneeze is expelling a demon.  And if you think of it, that's true:  the disease-causing bacteria expelled can realistically be considered demons.
672060
No. What are doing right before you sneeze? Taking in short breaths of air before finally sneezing.
419888
hey read these scientific reasons why do people bless them:\n1- when you are sneezing the heart stop within it\n2- the sneeze's speed is 100 km&#92;h\n3- if you are sneezing hard maybe you will broke one rib of your body ribs\n4- if you block the sneeze maybe will happen blood throwback in the neck or the head then that will be your death\n5- if you lift your eyes opened within sneezing maybe they will be out of them place\n6- and for your knowledge :\n   within the sneeze all organ of body stop although the time of the sneeze a second or part of second\nthen if god (Allah ) wants you to live,he will let our organ work after stopped \nquestion to you : if don't believe in spirit what the thing let you live ,think and distinguish you from the animals?
736877
As they all say that's false. However...when you have a heart attack a strong sneeze can *stop* the heart attack! It really works (I've had to force a sneeze a few times).
690354
I would at least rub it immediately against my pants to wipe it hastily. It's probably best to tell the person. The person should know I sneezed if we ran into each other right afterward. I never sneeze in my hands. I always try my best to pull  the collar of my shirt to sneeze inside it. Germs don't spread as much.
45796
The word is "gesundheit", which can be literally translated to "health".  In other words, you're wishing the person good health when you say it.\n\nI don't know why Americans choose to say that word instead of other ones.\n\nJust for fun, Spanish speakers usually say "salud" when someone sneezes (also meaning "health").  If someone sneezes more than once they say these words (two of them for two sneezes, three of them for three sneezes) : salud, dinero, y amor ("health, money, and love").  I personally find it fascinating that money is closer than love to the top of the list.