Look, I’d rather you not say “bless you.” But it seems most of you aren’t ready to take that leap, so here’s Expedia’s guide to politely responding to a sneeze in just about every country in the world. Mexico’s is especially fun.
Below each continent’s map, there are some extra tips and facts about the history of colonization – it turns out that sneezing etiquette roughly follows patterns of colonisation. Former British colonies tend to use “bless you,” French colonies use “to your wishes,” and Latin America follows the central European standard of “Health!”
Still no word on what to say after a sneeze in Vatican City.
[Via Expedia]
Comments
One response to “What To Say When Someone Sneezes, In Every Country”
Yeah because it’s a load of rubbish as per the comments stated in the last article about saying bless you. Got no problem with it, it’s just the same as walking down the street and a stranger says how you going and I say good thanks. Someone sneezes, I say bless you, they say thanks, we move on.
In some communities in China, it is customary to respond with “Hao ge” (好個) which roughly translates to “Good one”. The reason behind the response is steeped in the superstition believed by many chinese that if one sneezes, it means someone is talking about them behind their back. By saying “good one”, one can reassure the ‘sneezer’ that the words spoken about them are positive and not bad.
You’re sooo good-looking