How long does Gesundheit last?

January 8, 2007 8:59 AM

How long does saying "Bless You" or "Gesundheit" last when someone near you sneezes?

I was just wondering how long saying Gesundheit or Bless You lasts after someone in your vicinity sneezes? I work in an office where the sneezes sometimes come very fast and very furiously and sometimes someone will sneeze five times in five minutes.

What's the polite thing to do?

PS Do you secretly resent it when nobody says anything after you've sneezed?

posted by fenriq to health & fitness (46 comments total)

Your colleagues take it in turns to field it, so if they're really quick it turns into a funny thing, and makes poor ill person feel better.

PS: Yes, I do. Bastards.
posted by bonaldi at 9:00 AM on January 8, 2007

I'm a multiple-sneezer, and I'd prefer if people just wait until I've rattled off my five or seven sneezes before wishing my health.
posted by MasonDixon at 9:01 AM on January 8, 2007

I'm a chronic office sneezer. The first time or two, it's nice when someone says "Bless you." But once I'm having my third, fourth, or fifth sneezing fit in one day -- letting loose with 15+ sneezes in a row occasionally -- I feel completely ridiculous and am grateful if my respiratory antics go unacknowledged.
posted by junkbox at 9:06 AM on January 8, 2007

If you're into being obnoxious, you say "bless you" after the first sneeze, maybe "bless you" after the second. And then you jump in and say it again — pre-emptively — right as they're about to let out the next sneeze.

It gives some people a strange sort of nasal performance anxiety, so they can't get the remaining sneezes out.
posted by nebulawindphone at 9:07 AM on January 8, 2007 [1 favorite]

see also.
posted by fvw at 9:10 AM on January 8, 2007

unless a person is visibly sick, i won't say anything. i find most people would rather it just pass without anyone really acknowledging it.

a kind word if they're obviously suffering is of course just nice.
posted by dflemingdotorg at 9:14 AM on January 8, 2007

Am I the only person who says "excuse me" after I sneeze? I'm not asking because I think everyone should, I just usually say it.

And I say it after the first sneeze, then wait out the rest for a final "bless you" at the end.
posted by Bookhouse at 9:20 AM on January 8, 2007

Obnoxious, indeed, nebulawindphone. There's not much more frustrating than loosing a sneeze, particularly halfway through. It always makes me feel like the sneeze just receded somewhere and is lurking, making plans to explode my head.

I'm with junkbox. I usually go with a "bless you" or similar for the first, a "hang in there" if I'm feeling obnoxious on the second, and nothing thereafter; at that point, they're on their own, and no blessings or otherwise are going to help.

When you sneeze your soul tries to escape and saying "God bless you" crams it back in.
posted by asuprenant at 9:22 AM on January 8, 2007 [1 favorite]

PS Do you secretly resent it when nobody says anything after you've sneezed?

NO! I hate it when people DO say something! Often I just sneezed because of dust in the air, and there is absolutely NO REASON to wish me well. And if I'm actually sick, I'll be sneezing ALL DAY and it drives me absolutely nuts to have the whole "bless you" "thank you" exchange every time I sneeze. (So to answer the original question - once per day would be MORE than enough in my book.)
I used to never say anything myself, but then I realized that most people do expect a "bless you", so I started saying it, but I would be very happy if everyone just got rid of it.
posted by easternblot at 9:25 AM on January 8, 2007

I say "Bless you" to the first sneeze or three, then if it sounds like it is going to be an extended sneeze fest I just say "Bless you - Infinity".

I do say "Excuse or Pardon me" if I sneeze and there is someone in the near vicinity. And yes I do resent it when people don't say Gesundheit.

Does everyone say Thank You when someone wishes them Gesundheit?
posted by goml at 9:31 AM on January 8, 2007

Well, as an atheist I tend never to say "bless you" at all, although sometimes I say "salud" because it merely means "health." But I can tell you saying "bless you" after each sneeze just sounds like you're teasing the sneezer. If it seems like they'll be sneezing more after the first sneeze, wait till they're done to say it. But if you bless them after the first sneeze and then they have several more, it wouldn't hurt to say it again when they're finished.
posted by Citizen Premier at 9:49 AM on January 8, 2007

For the record, I never, ever, ever say "Bless you" when someone sneezes. To me its a quaint thing to say from when people actually thought sneezes were demons escaping from one's insides. And I am, on a good day, a cynical agnostic, and, on a bad day, a confirmed atheist.

I do, however, say Thank You when someone says Gesundheit or Bless You (I'm willing to overlook the religious connotations because they're being nice to me).
posted by fenriq at 9:53 AM on January 8, 2007

I do secretly resent it when people dont say anything.. At least when they're people I know/work with. Of course I'm not going to expect it on the bus or anything.

I do say excuse me, but as with the expectations above^, I probably wouldn't do it in a public place unless I was next to someone.
posted by sunshinesky at 9:54 AM on January 8, 2007

An old high school teacher of mine had this routine at the beginning of each year: "Bless You. That covers any and all sneezes, burps, etc., etc. for the entire year. So I don't want any blessing of anybody."

He was kind of crotchety, but it did cut down on class disruption.
posted by landedjentry at 10:02 AM on January 8, 2007

I got the saying of bless you ingrained into me in high school, by a number of people including a girl who would make a point of saying "you're welcome" even if (especially if) you didn't say thank you.

Before that I grew up in a household and went to a school where most people just . . . didn't say anything. So I am not too bothered if nobody says anything. I am more likely to say "bless you" to somebody that I know.

As for the time limit, I tend to sneeze in clusters, so I always feel bad after the third one. I would go for "one bless you per sneeze cluster."
posted by that girl at 10:22 AM on January 8, 2007

I do resent it when no-one blesses me. Though in the case of obvious sneezing fits, I just bless once or twice at the beginning of the fit, not for each successive sneeze of 15.

(Worse is when you work closely with someone and bless them when they sneeze, but they never do the same for you.)

I do say thank you when someone blesses me. I'm a devout agnostic. But I don't consider these to be religious salutations any more than I would expect someone to think that I'm asking for divine intervention when I use "Jesus Christ" or "goddammit" as an exclamation. But I welcome these small niceties as a means of random positive human interaction.

This morning: Sneezing on the bus and getting a 'bless you' from a complete stranger is a pleasing little moment that totally erases the negative memory of having to sprint to catch the bus.
posted by desuetude at 10:23 AM on January 8, 2007

I'm a multiple-sneezer, and I'd prefer if people just wait until I've rattled off my five or seven sneezes before wishing my health.

Same here.

I do say thank you when someone blesses me. I'm a devout agnostic. But I don't consider these to be religious salutations any more than I would expect someone to think that I'm asking for divine intervention when I use "Jesus Christ" or "goddammit" as an exclamation. But I welcome these small niceties as a means of random positive human interaction.

Well said, and amen!

It never ceases to amaze me how many MeFites seem to think anything that isn't scientifically mandated or accurate should be banished from human interaction. "Why... do... you... say... Bless you... when... you... are... not... religious..... It... is... illogical..." I guess we should all just replace ourselves with robots and rid the universe of our messy, unscientific selves.
posted by languagehat at 10:42 AM on January 8, 2007 [1 favorite]

If iRobot made a robot that said "Bless you", I'd buy it.
posted by Plutor at 10:45 AM on January 8, 2007

I had a friend who used to say "god damn you" when someone sneezed. Now I realize that this is only mildly funny, but the first time he did it it made me giggle like a little girl.
posted by vronsky at 10:45 AM on January 8, 2007

If a good friend is sneezing, I usually give the "bless you" pretty quickly after the first, second, and third sneezes (if it's the rapid one-after-another kind). Once they get to number 4 they get an "oh God you're dying" and they don't hear from me for the rest of the day. I usually don't give complete strangers a "bless you."

(The only person I expect a "bless you" from is my wife. Otherwise, it doesn't really matter to me.)
posted by puritycontrol at 10:45 AM on January 8, 2007

I've never even thought about it!

I am not very consistent about saying something, unless it's a one-on-one situation, in which case I generally will say "bless you". (I choose this because I don't like the sound of the word gesundheit.)

I've never in my life sneezed more than three times consecutively, so it's not much of an issue, but I wouldn't expect someone to say something more than once. (This is the same conundrum around thanking people for opening the door for you -- when there are two sets of doors. Maybe this is a uniquely Canadian problem.)

I don't resent it when no one says anything after I sneeze, and I don't expect it, but I'm usually pleased when they do unexpectedly. Especially if it's a stranger. Apart from any religious connotations (to which I do not subscribe) I find it just a nice little sentiment. I just take it as a pleasant little well-wishing.
posted by loiseau at 11:02 AM on January 8, 2007

As another serial sneezer, I don't expect people to be able to predict whether I'm going to have a one-off or a string of sneezes. If it's looking like a sneezing streak, I'll usually say something to take them off of the hook like "Don't worry, sometimes it takes a minute for that first blessing to kick in."

"Bless you" is reflexive for me to say, as is thanking a well wisher. But I don't care at all if others respond to my sneezes. I'd almost prefer they didn't, honestly -- sneezing is an attention grabber, but it's almost never an intentional one.
posted by gnomeloaf at 11:13 AM on January 8, 2007

I want to be a trial lawyer. I have noticed that experienced trial lawyers always say bless you when anyone in the room sneezes, even if they stop their lecture to do so. I assume it looks good to a jury.
posted by gokart4xmas at 11:14 AM on January 8, 2007

Like easternblot, I find the bless you thing to be irritating. I am an atheist, but I don't resent it for religious reasons, I resent because I'm trying to deal with a sneezing fit (I sneeze many multiple times a day due to allergies) and it gets irritating fast, to have to keep saying "thank you" continuously.
posted by Joh at 11:24 AM on January 8, 2007

I've adopted Seinfeld's "You are soooOOOooo good looking!" for when people sneeze. There's an episode that deals with Bless You etiquette, dibs on giving the blessing, etc. Uh, The Good Samaritan, SSN3E19.

If someone's on a sneeze roll, I revert to the blessing—but only after the first and the last sneeze. Then I tell them how I think they look once they're finished.
posted by carsonb at 11:27 AM on January 8, 2007

My girlfriend will sneeze 5 to 10 times in a row (allergies, you see), so rather than saying 'bless you' each time (given that it'd be pretty obnoxious), I'll say "Bless you, and bless you for any subsequent sneezes as well."

I've said it at work and people think it's funny. I just like to think I've got all my spirtual bases covered.
posted by owenkun at 11:43 AM on January 8, 2007

I used to work in an office with a bunch of sneezers. After the second sneeze I'd say "Bless you twice." Then the third time I'd say, "Ok, bless you three times but if you do it again you're on your own." After a while, it was just common knowledge that if they sneezed more than three times they were getting nothing from me.
posted by miss lynnster at 11:48 AM on January 8, 2007

i knew some folk who used to say to sneeze clusters:
1 for a wish
2 for a letter
3 for a kiss
4 for something better

My husband and I are atheists and I tease him when he blesses me for sneezing.
posted by b33j at 12:40 PM on January 8, 2007

I heard my grandfather do this routine once:

first sneeze: Bless you
second sneeze: Gesundheit
third sneeze: a long stream of Yiddish that nobody else in the room understood

When my sister asked, he translated it as, "You're dying! Get away from me!" (or something to that effect).

If that's actually a common phrase and somebody knows it, please post it! I'd love to know what it is, and I'm always forgetting to ask my grandfather.
posted by natabat at 1:01 PM on January 8, 2007

...just sounds like you're teasing the sneezer

That's my favorite new phrase.

"Teasing the ol' sneezer, eh?"

Can't wait to try it out.
posted by Bud Dickman at 1:16 PM on January 8, 2007

I confront people if they don't say anything.

But I also believe sneezes provide an opportunity for demons to jump inside your head.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 1:30 PM on January 8, 2007

Interesting that in NZ, nobody says/responds to "Gensundheit" post-sneeze. Guess the German/Jewish migration to the New World has affected USians differently than Commonwealth Anglophones in this regard.

natabat's comment led me to this site:

In many households, a first sneeze elicits a “tsu gezunt (to [your] health)!” A second sneeze may be followed by a “tsu gezunt, tsu lebn (to health, to life)!” and a third sneeze will yield a “tsu gezunt, tsu lebn lange yorn (to health, to live a long life)!”*
**There is some dispute about what to do when the individual sneezes in excess of three times. Some authorities recommend that the one responding to the sneezer simply return to “tsu gezunt” and repeat the routine as necessary. Others recommend cherem (excommunication).

Another source gives the third response as "Gai schoin in drerd, hust schoin ein kalt" ("Go to hell already; you've got a cold!").
posted by rob511 at 2:53 PM on January 8, 2007 [2 favorites]

Of course nobody responds to "Gensundheit" ... (sigh)
posted by rob511 at 2:55 PM on January 8, 2007

I never say "bless you" in response to a sneeze. I say it in response to a fart.
posted by yclipse at 3:17 PM on January 8, 2007

I say "Gesundheit" the first time, "And again," or "Doubly so," the second time. After that the sneezer is on his or her own.

I personally don't care one way or the other whether or not I'm blessed or gesundheit'd when I sneeze.
posted by lekvar at 3:44 PM on January 8, 2007

I can't believe someone would be offended if someone doesn't say "bless you" in response to a sneeze. Seems somewhat selfish. A "blessing" or a "health" in whatever language doesn't make the cold or allergies go away. It makes as much sense as offering it for a fart or a burp.

I'll usually say excuse me when I sneeze hoping to pre-empt the person about to bless this heathen.

I've stopped the pavlovian response to a sneeze a few years ago and love it! For friends I'll say sometimes say "salud" or "gesundheit" but not always.

If someone like a random person on the train blesses me I will say thank you. I'm not completely unsocial.

[and yes, I'll say Danke to a Gesundheit or gracias to a salud].
posted by birdherder at 4:23 PM on January 8, 2007

Interesting that in NZ, nobody says/responds to "Gensundheit" post-sneeze

I know several people who use this phrase :-P It's generally considered the non-religous alternative or is used by people who have just heard it's the done thing and think it's cool.

I'm a grumpy atheist so the bless you thing annoys me. In a get-your-religion-out-of-my-face-you-dickhead way (I did say I was grumpy). So I don't say it or acknowledge it and multiple blessings will get rolled eyes in return.

It's a sneeze. Why does it need some special akcnowledgement? You don't say anything if I cough or my stomach gurgles or my shoes squeak when I walk. It's all just so arbitrary these days.
posted by shelleycat at 4:25 PM on January 8, 2007

Am I the only person who says "excuse me" after I sneeze? I'm not asking because I think everyone should, I just usually say it.

You seem to have Canadian tendencies. You should see a doctor to be sure.
posted by rokusan at 5:28 PM on January 8, 2007

I forgot the real answer: I believe the first Gesundheit covers the entire (ensuing) series.
posted by rokusan at 5:30 PM on January 8, 2007

Count me with those who wish you Padres would cease and desist with the blessing -- I just sneezed, okay? Happens all the time. I'd be much happier if you didn't acknowledge it.

But when I'm with people who've been trained to respond thusly I sometimes say "Gesundheit" and then follow-up by informing the sneezer this German word means "health" and has no religious component.
posted by Rash at 6:08 PM on January 8, 2007

And Baby_Balrog,

I confront people if they don't say anything.

I'm wondering, How?

"You didn't bless me! How dare you!"
posted by Rash at 6:10 PM on January 8, 2007

My partner is Indian (Native American, should I expand and include Nation/tribe?), and acknowledging a sneeze is about the same as acknowledging a fart or maybe a cough. You just ignore it. I've just grown used to not saying anything. If people are offended... Sorry... I'm just trying not to point out their health differences.

I guess my point is that this is a religious or ethnocentric thing to do. I am definitely not offended by it, but I don't feel that I need to say anything when people sneeze. For Bob's sake, we know that people don't die during a sneeze, right?!
posted by kamikazegopher at 8:29 PM on January 8, 2007

My preference is for people to refrain from "blessing" me when I sneeze. I prefer that sneezes, like all other indiscrete bodily noises should be treated as if they did not occur (ie. ignored). No comment whatsoever is less embarassing to the noisemaker than any confirmation of notice would be.

However, if the person seems to be in distress, inquiring if they are alright is acceptable. (Secular and genuine) concern for the health of those around you is an acceptable motive for broaching the subject.

As far as the "duration of effect" of a "bless you" goes - since it's a superstitious palliative against a non-existant evil, my suggestion would be that the duration (in arbitrary units) is zero.
posted by Crosius at 9:38 AM on January 9, 2007

rob511: Your second source is probably what I heard -- at least, the translation sounds more familiar than what I came up with. Thanks!
posted by natabat at 11:00 AM on January 9, 2007

bookhouse: "Am I the only person who says "excuse me" after I sneeze? I'm not asking because I think everyone should, I just usually say it.

rokusan: "You seem to have Canadian tendencies. You should see a doctor to be sure."

Hey, me too (well, "pardon me"). I've already been diagnosed as Canadian. Maybe it's too late for me.
posted by loiseau at 6:41 PM on January 9, 2007

anything more than twice gets a "you're officially blessed for the rest of the day" from me and i will say no more about it
posted by softlord at 11:16 PM on January 9, 2007