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 have never heard this word, even though my family was part Scotch-Irish and have lived in the South since the 1600’s. We are now Memphians. But I have certainly been the recipient of many sursy’s and have given many myself. I just didn’t know what they were called! I love giving little sursy’s to my 3-year-old granddaughters. My family has always just called them, with half apologies for such a small gift, “little surprises.”
Hi Cary, thank you for sharing this comment with us. I think surprises are wonderful, no matter how small! I am thrilled to read that you give them to your granddaughters! You are carrying on a sweet tradition! Thank you for stopping by!
I have lived my entire life in South Carolina, 75 this month, and I never heard the word, even though there are people named Searcy living in our area of Pickens County. I have been giving surseys for as long as I can remember, but didn’t know this was what they were called. I just enjoy giving a small gift when the recipient does not expect this. I am in a group of ladies who dine out once a week. It is not unusual for us to give or receive a sursey.
Hi Louise, what sweet comment you have made and happy birthday to you! I hope your birthday is full of sweet surprises and maybe a sursy or two! I love hearing that the group of ladies you dine with are prone to giving sursies – they certainly make life fun!
I am from NC and have known about little unexpected gifts for at least a few decades. I had never seen it in print, had heard it was French, and so spelled it serci. The French for surprise makes me see How this could have become serci or sercy or some variation. I do enjoy buying little gifts for those in my life and surprising them. It’s a wonderful tradition!
Hi Gloria, I absolutely agree with you – surprising those you love with little gifts is a wonderful tradition! Thank you for your sweet comment – I hope you can find someone special this week with which to gift a sursy!
My Grandmother is 87 and from Latta, SC. She ALWAYS had “surseys” for my brothers and I when we came to visit as children. She’d hide them on a door knob behind an open door and we’d eagerly run around trying to find them. It was usually something like a Pez Dispenser or matchbox cars. Now she gives them to my 2 and 4 year old girls. I always loved the word and always associated it with my warm and generous grandmother. I’ll have to ask her about it next visit, after my girls find thier sursys 😉 ❤️.
Hi Sara! I love this idea…of hiding the sursy on a doorknob of an open door! What fun you and your brothers must have had racing around trying to find your sweet treat! And I know your daughters must have a joyous time of it now as well. Thank you for sharing this sweet custom with us – and what precious memories you have!
My grandfather always used that word and often brought me sursies. I used in to my friend in college, not knowing that the whole world didn’t use this word on a regular basis, and she adopted it, too. A decade later she sent me a small box that not only contained a sursey but had the definition on the cover of the box! It stated that the origin of the word was Scotland. Maybe that’s why so many Southerners haven’t heard the word as a child. My family has a strong Scottish heritage and my grandfather likely found it that way. I agree that it is the most heartfelt and sincere gift giving there is. And, I often surprise my daughters with a little sursey, just because.
Hi Mary, thank you for sharing this comment with us! What sweet memories you have of your grandfather and whether you know it or not, you started a tradition with your college friend! I hope the tradition carries on through your own daughters!