The Sursy
The first time I heard the word, “sursy”, I had recently moved to South Carolina and someone brought me a candle and called it a sursy.
A what?
A sursy.
What’s a sursy?
I recently had this conversation with a new co-worker, who moved here from Denver, Colorado just a few months ago.
She’d never heard of the word either.
So of course, like a good southern lady, I told her what a sursy is.
First, I googled it, so she wouldn’t think I totally made up this somewhat-of-a-silly-sounding word.
The urban dictionary {as opposed to the SUBurban…} states that a sursy is: a term commonly used in the South to denote a small, unexpected gift…for no special occasion, particularly to show affection or thanks.
Now, I am from the South. I am southern, born and bred. But I’m telling y’all, I’d never heard this word, ever before until South Carolina came into my life.
Of course now, I love to use the word. The word itself just sounds friendly. For those of you who don’t know, it’s pronounced like “sir see”. I enjoy finding little sursies to gift to friends or coworkers.
When Andrew and I were in our pre-marital counseling we discovered that neither of us was {is?!} a good gift giver…as in giving sursies…unexpected gifts. Sure, we’re great at the birthday, anniversary, the um, important dates. But not really the unexpected.
And as I write this I’m thinking that I probably need to find a sursy for him…because he’s not gotten a sursy in a while. hmm.
Anyhew, back to everyone else! ha!
The key to the sursy is that it’s unexpected. And inexpensive. For me it’s the something that says to the recipient, “hey, I saw this today, thought of you and wanted you to have it.”
It can be a small candle {like I received}, a pretty little trinket holder, a neat/unique pack of notes. I even gave someone some witty post-it notes once because this particular coworker had post its lining the shelf above his head.
I don’t give sursies often…that’s what makes them unexpected! And I wait for things to speak to me. Kind of like the Pier One commercials where the birds or the gnomes start talking to the lady shopping.
Ok, I know I sound crazy now. But take today for example. I saw a pretty little dish with a fabulous little saying on it and thought, “that’s perfect for…!”
I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed it, put something I had for me in my hand, back on the shelf and made my little purchase. And yes, I’ll take the gift wrapping because I want that tiny little rosette!!
Y’all. It’s way more fun to give!!! Who’s going to get your next sursy?!
my sweet daughter in law first introduced me to sercies when she married our youngest son..She was always coming over bringing me some sweet little gift and saying, here Mama, I brought you a Sercie….I love her as i do all the little Sercies she brings me
I’m a soapmaker in South Carolina. I’d never heard of sursies until a few months ago when I was making guest gifts for a bridal shower a new customer was hosting. I went next door to my neighbor’s house…she owns a little gift boutique…to see what she thought about the labels. She called them sursies. I loved it! I use the term now whenever I market little guest soapies for bridal and baby showers.
Hi!
I grew up in Charleston, SC, with a mother who loved sending cards and giving sursies. Our whole family uses the term, but I’ve had to explain what I mean if I give a guy a sursie. They don’t pick up on contextual clues!
Nice post!
My Mother use to use the word for a surprise or small gift even cookies or cakes unexpected. I continued to use the word when I had children. When our daughter was expecting our first grandchild she ask me what I would like to be called. I told her I truly didn’t care just as long as I was called often. Her reply “Well your name will be Surcie.” and that is what I am called by all my grandchildren. My spelling is tad different than what some use.
Hi Norma! Thank you for sharing your sweet story! I love that you are called Surcie by your grandkids – what a perfect name for a grandmother!! Thank you for stopping by!
My husband’s aunt was where I first heard the word (I always spelled it Sircy). We’re all from Myrtle Beach, but I had never heard it until she said it. Gifts is my love language, so I love giving them!
Hey Allison! Thanks for sharing how you first learned of this word and tradition. I am sure you’re a great sursy (sircy) giver since gifts are your love language! Thanks for stopping by!