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?!
I was first introduced to”surcies” at Columbia College in the sixties and have used that word since then in everyday conversation. It is a term most people in South Carolina understand and one that has a very positive connotation. I love surcies!
Bonnie, thanks for your sweet comment – a lot of past readers of this post were Columbia College attendees and were familiar with the word from there! Thanks for stopping by!
ORIGIN OF THE WORD SURSY
Sursy is the Southern pronunciation of a Japanese word meaning little surprise. I grew up in South Carolina and first heard the word right before I went off to college in 1959 (yes, I am older than dirt ?). Thought you might like to know.
Claire, this is so great, thank you for sharing that bit of info with us! I hope you enjoyed my little post!
My tribe and I here in Louisiana call them “happies,” but I love the word “sursy!” We may need to add it to our vocabulary.
I saw this on Facebook. I had never heard the word sursy, but love the idea. As for getting gifts, I don’t really want anything more in my home. It is filled. Rarely I think of something I want and need and go find it myself. For me the best gifts are doing something with friends, like dinner, movie, concert, walk in the park, etc. Does that come under a sursy?
PS: I grew up in Southern California and have lived in Utah for the last 30+ years. So no Southern influence ( if you don’t count kSouthern CA!).
I truly believe that the word “sursy” was born, bred and spread via Columbia College. When I enrolled as a freshman in 1953 the word was being used and it was new to me. Just when the first CC girl came up with it will probably never be known, but I would wager it was in the late ’40s or early ’50s. Anyway, since nobody can really prove who came up with it, we CC girls will claim the distinction of inventing the “surcy” and using it faithfully through the years.
Courtney
Thanks for your comments, Courtney! It’s been fun to hear so many from Columbia College know this word and share their memories!