To not respond when people say “bless you”

[OswaldOwl]

I just watched one of those ‘English etiquette guide for foreign visitors’ videos and it mentioned always say thank you when somebody says ‘bless you’ when you sneeze.

I don’t do this 😬 Thinking back to my childhood, the belief on the school yard was that saying thank you ‘cancelled’ the good luck of ‘bless you’. Obviously that is ridiculous but it might explain why it didn’t develop as an automatic habit, though clearly I should have picked this up since.

I think I might mutter a ‘sorry’ after a sneeze, maybe a thank you if the bless you comes from a stranger, but by and large I don’t respond.
Clearly I have been a rude sneezer for the last 37 years!! How unreasonable / rude have I been?
I like to think I am polite in my other interactions

Always say thank you!

You know what, I've never been sure what you're supposed to say in response when someone says 'bless you'! I sometimes say thanks, but never been sure!

I was taught that the correct etiquette was to say nothing in response to "bless you"! Maybe I've been the rude sneezer all these years.

Ooh well it’s comforting to hear I’m not entirely on my own here!

I always say amen - habit from childhood as it was always said if you said thank you to a sneeze bless you a fairy would die

I always say thank you but I wouldn’t think someone was rude for not thanking me if I said “bless you” when they sneezed- it’s such a minor thing. In fact, I don’t even decide to say “bless you” consciously, it’s just one of those things you say automatically.

I was told it was bad luck to respond.

I’ve always said thank you!

I automatically say thank you, even to strangers. I do think it's odd if someone mutters something unintelligible or doesn't respond at all.

Jesus bloody christ you're all killing fairies 😱

A 👍🏻 to show thanks is good. Please don't kill fairies 🧚🏼‍♀️ 😢

😂

This is why I try not to sneeze in public. It saves the awkwardness.

I was taught Amen as the response.

I've always said thank you

@Mumoblue

I always say thank you but I wouldn’t think someone was rude for not thanking me if I said “bless you” when they sneezed- it’s such a minor thing. In fact, I don’t even decide to say “bless you” consciously, it’s just one of those things you say automatically.

Imagine - that sue at work is so rude, never says thank you when I say bless you! That's it, I'm done with her! 😂

I always say thank you, it’s good manners.

I always say thank you, basic manners.

@Gibbonsgibbonsgibbons, I worked with a grown man who still wouldn't say thank you because it killed a fairy. I always say thank you, mayve that's why I've never seen a fairy

[quote Daleksatemyshed]@Gibbonsgibbonsgibbons, I worked with a grown man who still wouldn't say thank you because it killed a fairy. I always say thank you, mayve that's why I've never seen a fairy [/quote]

I still say amen (despite worry about it being disrespectful as I'm not religious!) because it's a reflex - but if it saves a few fairies too 😇

Keep looking 🧚

Saying “thank you” Kills fairies

I thought everyone knows that?

I never say thank you and don’t say bless you when somebody sneezes either, I find it weird. I don’t know why as it’s a common thing to do in this country!

I just watched one of those 'English etiquette guides for foreign visitors' videos

Anything else are we all doing wrong?

I always pause long enough after the 'bless you' and then release my 'excuse me' for having sneezed, seems to work as they then aren't expecting a follow-up acknowledgement

@BluebellsGreenbells

Saying “thank you” Kills fairies

I thought everyone knows that?

One learns something new every day 😂

Okay, I feel better now!!

The other examples in the video were faux pas that made me cringe such as queue jumping or not saying please/thank you when ordering and receiving a coffee. I worried the bless you thing might be at the same level!

See it’s true!