OT - do you say geszundheit or bless you when people sneeze?

[Mudcat]

I won't get into all the details of why this question has come up today. But I think I would summarize my position as follows:

I find it extremely silly to say these things when someone sneezes. Pointless and borderline idiotic.

However I will do it if it's a hot chick.

[Grease Monkey]

You may find it idiotic because you don't know the origin of the term. When someone sneezed it was assumed that he had Bubonic Plague. This was a way of blessing the person before his death.

Although now outdated as many sayings are, such as riding shotgun, it did have a meaning at one time.

[The Prick]

I usually just say "I hope you didn't get none on ya."......works equally well when somebody lets one go.

[Willie Bee]

I say, "Bless you," whether someone sneezes, farts, burps, hiccups or has Bubonic Plague. I say, "Thank you," when someone either buys me a beer or flashes her gazongas at me. Thought I'd throw that in just in case the subject came up in the future.

[Mudcat]

You may find it idiotic because you don't know the origin of the term. When someone sneezed it was assumed that he had Bubonic Plague. This was a way of blessing the person before his death.

Although now outdated as many sayings are, such as riding shotgun, it did have a meaning at one time.

This is a great point (and welcome to the forum).

I shouldn't be so critical when the sentiment people are trying to convey is basically, "I hope you aren't about to violently erupt in pustules and die a slow, painful death of plague."

[Winston Smith]

...now if you'll excuse me I'm gonna go throw some witches in a lake to see if they float.

[The Prick]

good call Winston! (pick it, Frank, all the way to the first knuckle)

[MrX]

You may find it idiotic because you don't know the origin of the term. When someone sneezed it was assumed that he had Bubonic Plague. This was a way of blessing the person before his death.

Actually, people were saying "bless you" at least 1000 years prior to the bubonic plague outbreaks. There's no definitive answer to when or why it started. Snopes article here.

I do say "bless you."