Alternatives to saying "bless you"?

[KendallY]

When someone sneezes, out of habit I say, "bless you". The automatic response doesn't feel very authentic. I'd like to find something that is more creative and relevant while still being something I wouldn't feel uncomfortable saying to the stranger on the bus who just sneezed.

Anyone out there say or do something different?

P.S. Sorry if I posted this in the wrong forum... wasn't sure where it would go? :

[ShaggyDaddy]

you could try another language

I have heard lots of people say salute (to your health in Itallian).

[changingseasons]

You could go the Seinfeld route:

"If you want to make a person feel better after they sneeze, you shouldn't say 'God bless you.' You should say 'You're soooo good lookin'!'"

[MettaSutta]

I was always taught to say "gesundheit!", which is "to your health" in German.

I've never felt comfortable with "bless you" and gesundheit is more fun to say.

[CallMeMommy]

Gesundheit. Except whenever I say it to DS he hollers back "Don't call me a 'sundheit!"

[Jennifer3141]

Originally Posted by changingseasons

You could go the Seinfeld route:

DH and I do this and it's awesome good fun to get funny looks and responses like, "I loved that episode!"

[lilyka]

I have heard . . . .that sneezing uses all the same muscles as an orgasim. So we used to say "congratulations"

[artgoddess]

Originally Posted by lilyka

I have heard . . . .that sneezing uses all the same muscles as an orgasim. So we used to say "congratulations"

I'm going to hope this means that you have never sneezed before.

[Adasmommy]

We say salud which is health in Spanish, I believe. However, I do hesitate to say it to someone outside the family because they wont know what I'm talking about. For this reason, I think the gesundheit suggestion is better. And I'm seriously considering going the Seinfeld route

[cyndimo]

Another fun foreign lanugage word to say is Hungarian, which means roughly to your health: Egeshegedre! (I may be off on the spelling - I studied on exchange in Budapest over 15 years ago.) I usually use Gesundheit or salud around people who don't know that I know a little Hungarian.

[Twinklefae]

I say "excuse you!" (Generally to children, but to DF too)

[Kinipela79]

Growing up, my dad always said "OY!" when we sneezed. So now it's habit for me to say.

[preemiemamarach]

To DS (10 months), I say, "bassoon height!" just as a play on gesundheidt, as his dad and I are both of German descent and make up nonsense German words a lot. He thinks it's hysterical and cracks up every time.

[zeldabee]

I say gesundheit or salud. (In context it's pretty obvious what salud means.) But then, I also say bless you, especially if I know the person to whom I'm speaking is xtian.

At work, a few of us have allergies, so after someone sneezes a bunch of times, and several people have said "bless you," the sneezer says, "thank you! I feel blessed." (Never gets old, I tell you.)

[Juvysen]

I say "gesundheit" (german) or "zeigesund" which, apparently, is "to your health" in yiddish? At least that's what I was told... in german it is an order to stay healthy... heheheh

[CarrieMF]

Most of the time I don't say anything. I don't really get why we say anything when someone else sneezes. If I sneeze I'll say "excuse me", but I taught myself a long time ago how to sneeze without making noise.lol

[cjanelles]

We say, "You sneezed," or "Scat" if we're talking to the baby. You know, like "scat-cat" because cats make people sneeze...I don't know, weird circular logic. Makes no sense, but it's what we say.

[Collinsky]

I say "Salud" (health)

...for extra fun, for a second sneeze you can say "Amor" (love)... third sneeze is "Dinero" (money) and a fourth sneeze is "y mucho gusto a vivir!" (and much joy in life!) Each sneeze brings with it a new blessing.

[KendallY]

I knew you all would have some great ideas! I love it... thanks! I may try them all and see which "fits" best for me.

Ciao!

[lolar2]

Originally Posted by cyndimo

Another fun foreign lanugage word to say is Hungarian, which means roughly to your health: Egeshegedre! (I may be off on the spelling - I studied on exchange in Budapest over 15 years ago.) I usually use Gesundheit or salud around people who don't know that I know a little Hungarian.

Hey, that's what we say too!