Which is the correct way "God bless you" or just "bless you"?

Meh, I just say “Bless you”

Gesundheit

There really doesn’t need to be a correct way, in my opinion. No matter how it is said, it is a courteous offering and that is a nice thing.

I appreciate either. I will take all the blessings I can get :-)

Gesundheit.
or “the dark lord bless you”

God Bless you. I think the story goes that it is important to specify who is blessing you so it isn’t someone or something bad. And, also I think they used to believe the devil was in you when you sneezed or something like that.

Gesundheit makes more sense really.

I say, “sneeze you.”

Salud
Terviseks
Terveydeksi
Γείτσες
Nazdravlje
Nooru aayisu

I say, need a tissue?

I’m going to start saying “bless you” when someone passes gas.

I don’t say either or anything. I don’t see the point.

Once, a man told me he didn’t need my ‘blessing’. Since then, I’ve felt slightly awkward about saying anything to anyone else after they sneeze.

Well that was a rude old man! pshh not like he deserved your blessings :)

I suppose it doesn’t really matter either way.

the phrase started because every time you sneeze apparently your heart flutters a little bit, don’t remember if that actually has any water to it

I say, “Ewww….”. Especially if it’s in my face. Or if it’s a funny sneeze, I just laugh.

Neither since it’s an idiotic tradition. It started when people were under the impression that when you sneeze, a part of your soul escapes or something equally superstitious.

I’ve been told that it was once believed that during the brief moment that you close your eyes during the sneeze, the devil used the opportunity to sneak in and begin working on your soul. Saying, “God bless you” countered this effect, forcing the devil to run from the name of God.

I don’t buy it, but the oral tradition seems to have lasted down to this day.

Who blesses you?

@torch81 That’s where the tradition really began. It also had to do with all the breath leaving your body and the devil (or demons) getting in.

@avvooooooo I think I would have to add to that

I am not in the least little bit religious, but I always say bless you, just because it seems like a nice thing to do. I agree though, it’s a strange thing to do????

Just point and shout “Disease!”

Around here, we say Evelyn Bless You!. We also say it when someone farts, just to be quirky. =)

@evelyns_pet_zebra What is evelyn?

“Bless you” if anything.

I either go with gazundheit or salud.

@cindihugs; Oh no! Don’t get him started!~

Ah… What luck.. I have here in front of me a book “A Dictionary of Omens and Superstitions”.

Under the entry “Sneezing”:
Many people still regard the saying of ‘Bless You’ to someone who sneezes as superstitious, but in fact when ‘God bless you’ was said in Roman times, the sound of someone sneezing was very often the first indication that he had caught the plague, so the blessing might as well have been an expression of sympathy and despair, as those nearby hurried from the presence of the victim.

Of course, as always, it’s worth taking things with a pinch of salt, as not too far down the book also says that:
In America, if you sneeze while speaking, it is a sign to everyone that are telling the truth; while if you sneeze at table you will have a new friend before the next meal. The Americans also believe that if you sneeze as you set out on a mission, you will fail in it; but if you want to sneeze but cannot, it is a sign that someone loves you but dare not tell you.

Errmmmm… If that’s true, then that’s a pretty unsettling explanation for my inability to sneeze when trying to test out Grisaille’s Nipple-Hardening Sneeze Theory..

My Grandmother used to say “Scat!”

@filmfann I’m thinking disease when I am saying, “God bless you.”

I was told you were supposed to say “May god have mercy on your soul”

I say “bless you” and we taught our son that as well. He says it when he hears people burp or fart, if you sneeze, he thinks something is wrong and asks “okay?”

@benjaminlevi. I thought that statement was made toward persons who are condemned for something.

@Bluefreedom I suppose if a sneeze is a sign that you are coming down with the plague, then that would be an appropriate thing to say.

When I was a child our family always said Gesundheit! Then my husband’s family always said Kampai! But I rather like @ChazMaz‘s response.

However, my son always says “Eeeew! Gross! What’s wrong with you?! stop that!”

He’s a tad self-centered.

There really isn’t any correct way to say it. Some people don’t like “god bless you” because it’s “too religious” or something. I know my Western Civ teacher used to just say “god bless” when someone sneezed. I do think the whole thing is quite weird, however, when you really start to think about it: why would I need someone else’s intervention when I sneeze? Especially when I do those goofy squeaky sneezes that people laugh at. :(

But, eh, whatever. I don’t care if people say it and I say it sometimes. “Bless you”, that is. I think that’s your best bet since that is the most common version.

Either or I don’t suppose it matters what you say…