More specifically, I thought sneezing was supposed to present an opportunity for the devil to steal in and possess your soul; hence "bless you" to scare Old Nick away.
Addicted to laughing or sneezing. According to folklore, the soul leaves the body when a person sneezes. This is why we say "God bless you!" It forces the soul to return. (Daniel Lyons's Dictionary of the English Language, 1897)
More specifically, I thought sneezing was supposed to present an opportunity for the devil to steal in and possess your soul; hence "bless you" to scare Old Nick away.
Addicted to laughing or sneezing. According to folklore, the soul leaves the body when a person sneezes. This is why we say "God bless you!" It forces the soul to return. (Daniel Lyons's Dictionary of the English Language, 1897)