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 am 66 years old and I was born and reared in South Carolina. When I was a child, my Mother would bring me a “sursy” … A surprise gift.
I continued the “sursy” tradition with my two daughters.
In the early 1990s, a poor, pitiful, sick, cat appeared in our backyard. After taking the cat to vet, we became the proud owners of this stray cat.
Our daughter wanted to name her “Sursy”. We had no idea how to spell “Sursy”. We did not have “Google”. Imagine having to look something up in an encyclopedia!
“The Greek Goddess Cerce would travel to other areas and would take surprise gifts”.
When we registered her name at the vet’s office, I told the receptionist the story. I asked if we could name her “Cerce” but spell the name “Cercie”. The receptionist replied, ” you can spell the name anyway you want—she is the only one ever to have that name”.
Sorry that this is so long, but it just warms my soul to know that my grandchildren are ” carrying on the tradition” of “Sursy- Sursie-Cerce-Cercie”….the Greek God of surprise gifts”!
Hi Patricia! This was a really fantastic comment – thank you for sharing your knowledge about the Greek Goddess Cerce – who knew?! Google certainly didn’t pull this up last week when I was playing around with the word! 🙂
What sweet memories, also, that you have of your cat, Cercie – thank you for sharing those comments as well. I love that you gifted her with such a darling name. Thank you so much for all of your comments and here’s to giving sursies (cerces, cercies…)!!
I firstlearned cercies at Winthrop College in 1963. Still love to surprise my friends today.
I have lived in SC all of my 66 years. Tha 1st time I heard “surcy” was in 1968, while a freshman at USC. I was told that it was started by girls at CC. Truth or lore? Based on the previous comments, I say truth.
Hi Nancy, I did see some comments about it staring in Columbia, and at Columbia College. I’ve also seen some really interesting comments {the one above yours, especially} about the Greek Goddess Cerce, that could point to the origination. Either way, it’s a great little word and I hope you’ve enjoyed using it!
I’ve always lived in South Carolina, but I first heard about this sweet word at Carolina in Columbia, also. I was a student there from 1968-1972. We gave surcies to each other especially during exam time.
I grew up in Chapin, SC. I learned the word sursey in high school. The word itself was a gift from a favorite teacher. I have given sursey’s ever since and it’s delightful!
Hi Jackie, what a wonderful story – thank you so much for sharing with us! I hope those that receive your sweet sursies have enjoyed the gift and word as much as I have. Thank you so much for stopping by!
I first heard the word in college in NC, but from a roommate from SC. I always thought th word was just a cutesy shortening of the word my mom, from Indiana, always used when she brought me something similar-a little surprise.
Hi Amanda, thank you for your comments…now you know! Although, people much smarter than I have posted some really fascinating facts/historical info on the word {see other comments}. I think it’s great that your mom brought your sursies, and I hope you’re carrying on the tradition!
Amanda and Michelle,
I heard the word as a young person in NC. I always thought it was a short, cute way to say surprise too.
I heard of surcey when I was in college but I went to Winthrop. I was told that it is a special gift that you happened to see if you are away from someone you love and you want to let them you were thinking of them.
Hi Helen, I think this is a great explanation…my gifting of sursies is generally for those that I care about, and are a result of having seen something that made me think especially of that individual.
Thanks for your comment!