Not to want to be blessed all the time

We always said 'up the little wooden hill to Bedfordshire'.

I don't like shop assistants or people I don't know saying 'take care', even though I say it to my 40 year old son when he drives off to his own home.

yes, I always tell our son to "drive safely" the 15 min drive to his own house.
I must stop it.

I use "Bless you" for sneezes and when someone has got me out of a bit of a fix, or done a random act of kindness when I am in a flap.
Something like finding my mislaid car keys when I am in a hurry, or just bringing me a much needed cup of tea when I have been very busy at work.

Otherwise it can be patronising.

Sneezing was a sign of the Plague from which a person might die and so they needed to be blessed, hence the nursery rhyme Ring a ring a(of) roses which describes what happens if someone gets the Plague ie they sneeze and fall down dead. This is the traditional explanation of this nursery rhyme though some now dispute it.

I'm not surprised it's disputed. Sneezing doesn't seem to have been a major symptom of the Plague.

We went up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire too Jingle. When I moved to Bedfordshire when I was married, it seemed an unlikely place to live.

www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/up-the-wooden-hill-to-bedfordshire.html
Apparently it was a twee middle class expression of the 1930s and 40s. As my parents were neither twee nor middle class I doubt this origin. However, there was a Vera Lyne song which quoted it, so maybe it came from that. Oh I love a good Google

We said thank you to the young check out assistant in a local store the other day as she gave us our change, to which she replied, "No worries". As we walked out, my husband muttered, "what makes her think I've got no worries?"

In AD 590 Pope Gregory during the Plague ordered prayers for anyone sneezing so that they would be blessed by divine intervention as sneezing was one of the first signs that they had caught the Plague. There are historical reasons.

And what's all this with 'no problem'? It seems as though all (young) shop staff seem to say it whatever the situation and however inappropriate a response it is!

And "you're welcome" especially favoured by non-native speakers and sometimes used most inappropriately such as when they give you change and you say thank you. They then say "you're welcome".

Don't mind oh bless you,but awww bless,I hate it makes me cringe.

The one I dislike is ''I feel so blessed''

When I was a child I was given the explanation of ''Bless you'' when someone sneezed. It was to stop the devil from entering your body. Which apparently was possible when you sneezed!. Catholic guilt.

Another checkout one - "Enjoy the rest of your day". I know the staff are told to say these inane things but I want to reply, "I'm going to a funeral".

Haha Apricot, you really should say that next time and see the response!

In Italy if you thank someone for anything they will always say "prego"which basically means "You're welcome" you can get through and awful lot of pregos during a supermarket shop! Presumably a lot of Europeans expect us to have the same sort of etiquette.

Somehow though, Prego sounds better. Actually, anything in Italian sounds better ( especially when it's murmured!)

I totally agree, I love listening to it although I can barely speak it.

I bought something from a retail outlet today and after I'd paid, been given the receipt and thanked the assistant, she said 'See you later!'.

That phrase drives me mad!
I'm never sure if it will actually mean what is said or not , especially if there is the likelihood of it happening.

One of my sons always says "see you later" when he leaves here, even though we know it`ll be at least a week before we see him again.

So, when you have thanked someone for a small service like checking out your groceries, or doing your nails, or receiving payment for petrol, what should the person say in reply?
'That's ok'? (A bit ungracious)
'You're welcome' (already been objected to)
'My pleasure' (a bit gushing)
'Glad to have been of service' (a bit undemocratic)
'Have a nice day'(a bit transatlantic, even if sincerely meant)

So....if you were the checkout woman, and a customer thanked you, what would you say in reply?

It's no easy in German, Italian, Spanish , French - all have a fixed response - bitte schon, prego, de nada , de rien. Sounds nice but just as meaningless - a pleasantly. We have to stumble around finding something and it chsnges over time. Some staff are trained in a certsin way, some are free to say what they feel is OK. I thought what do I say if I'm thanked - well context is everything but I have a range of phrases- it's a pleasure, glad I could help, you're very welcome , no problem , anything else I can do. What do you say when thanked? Nothing?

....or checkout man ! My preferred response is "you're welcome".