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?!
A friend sent this article to me today…I too am from SC. My coworkers and I used to exchange sursies (usually of the chocolate variety). My granny used to give me sursies too and I liked the idea so much I named my Etsy shop, Sursy Shop.
Well, I was born and raise in Winnsboro, SC but lived in Ohio for 38 years. Believe me nobody in Michigan or Ohio knew what a Sursey was either but I did!
I would give them to my co-workers or my new friends and they were terrified of my intentions! When I explained it was a just a kind Southern gesture of friendship we just laughed
Loved your post! I love the word so much, it’s the name of my gift website – but I spell it differently. Check out http://www.SERCIE.com for fun gifts, candles and unexpected treats!
So cool about Columbia College!
I remember first being introduced to this term my freshman year of college (’63-’64) at St. Mary’s (Raleigh, NC). I was unfamiliar with this delightful Southern colloquialism. I have never been certain of the spelling (circe, sursee, sursy, circi, etc.), but for me, I’ll opt for Circe, after the Greek mythology goddess who, among other things, was purported to be the bearer of unexpected(?) gifts. C&C, thanks for the lovely walk down “memory lane.”
First heard circee in high school in Columbia, SC I the 50’s. It meant “a little nothing surprise” such as a piece of candy or any small unexpected thing.