In America, we are taught as children to say “bless you” when someone sneezes. When we are surprised, we often say “Oh my God!” And of course, we say “Merry Christmas” (often replaced with (Happy Holidays) and “Happy Easter” and the such.
Also, we tend to see Sunday as the “Holy Day”. Do you take this day off generally? Do you take the time to be with your family, or is it another day for progress?
Posted: December 19th 2009
Reed Braden www
Even when I was a Christian, I never said, “Bless you.” I either ignored sneezes or said, “gesundheit,” which means good health. Gesundheit is a much better wish for a sneezing person than the vague and overdone, “Bless you.”
Posted: December 27th 2009
logicel
I don’t say anything when someone sneezes. I do when someone coughs loudly and keeps it up though. It’s usually, “Are you OK? Is there something I can get you? If someone continually and loudly sneezes, I will say the same thing to them. If a child sneezes, I try to make a joke out of it, to make them laugh. It usually ends in a tickling match.
I try very hard not to say god as a exclamation because I really don’t want to give the guy any more publicity than he already gets, plus I have encountered some very religious folks who get upset when I do. So, I say, Oh my goodness!
Instead of blessing someone (aren’t church officials the only ones allowed to do that?), I will say instead take care, you are a sweetheart, I appreciate that so much, etc.
Living in France with its many beautiful medieval churches with a good number of their bell towers functioning is a joy. Though strongly secular, France still maintains many of its cultural heritages and on Sunday, most everything closes (except for bakeries and butchers in the Muslim quartiers for the most part). Most houses are shuttered and the streets are very quiet (except for the ringing bells). People stay at home, read, watch TV, eat long family meals (most shops close during the week also, from noon to 2PM, so families can eat together), and rest. Some even attend Mass.
Not many people work on Sundays because of the highly regulated employment laws though that is changing a bit. For example, out of the three supermarkets within walking distance chez nous, only one is opened on Sundays, and that is just for the morning.
Posted: December 23rd 2009
bitbutter www
I do say “bless you” without worrying about its supernatural origins. The word Thursday is similar; I don’t think most people are thinking about Thor when they use it.
For me Sundays are very similar to the other days of the week. I don’t oppose the custom of using the day to rest, even though the origin of that use is a creation myth.
Posted: December 23rd 2009
SmartLX www
I do sometimes say “bless you” out of habit. I’m phasing it out in favour of the secular “gesundheit”.
I was never in the habit of saying “oh my God” because when I was a Christian I was careful not to “take the Lord’s name in vain”.
I go right ahead and say “merry Christmas” even to non-religious people, because Christmas nowadays is secular enough that just saying the name has no major religious connotations. Easter is getting there.
My office isn’t open on Sundays, so I don’t work. I’m happy with that.
Posted: December 22nd 2009