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?!
Heard it growing up in Charleston, SC and then again in college at Clemson.
Hi Linda, I definitely think it’s a South Carolina word! Thank you for your comment and for stopping by!
Born & bred in Southwest Georgia, USA. First heard this word about 45 years ago – having moved to Atlanta. Has been part of my vocabulary ever since!
Hi Rosie! My dad is from Albany…maybe near your hometown? I’d never heard it in all my time in GA…but as soon as I moved to SC I was introduced. Thanks for your comment and I hope you enjoy sharing some sursies this week!
Born and raised in South Louisiana by parents born and raised in South Louisiana, my daddy always called them “sussies”. The tradition of giving sussies has been passed on from my daddy to me and now to my daughter, and we love giving them even while she’s away in college. Thanks for telling others about them and how special they are to give!
Hi Traci! Yes, I agree that they are special to give – especially if the gift is from the heart. Thank you for sharing this sweet memory of your daddy. Enjoy passing those “sussies” on to your daughter!
Wow! Another Traci that spells her name like mine. Not many of us out there.
I am an Anglican priest serving in Uganda and a CC mom. My family is from SC and I have loved sursies for most of my life. Yes, it is mostly a SC thing, but I give sursies to folks here in Uganda and now they have adopted this custom. Tonight three very young boys brought me three small mangoes, and said, “Suh-see for you, Nana!” It brought tears to my eyes.
Cindy!! What a precious, precious moment you had with these sweet young boys!! Oh, what a delight and treasure they must be! Thank you so very much for both your comment, but your service…and for sharing a sweet tradition with the people in Uganda!
Loved your article and I too love a sursy, giving and receiving one! It’s been a word in my vocabulary since I was a small child! Thank you for hand-picking your most recent sursy from HandPicked too!
Hi Sonya! Thank you so much for your comment and for sharing sweet gifts with us in your shop! Thank you also for spreading the news of sursies on your own FaceBook page…I hope you get lots of shoppers this week looking for a certain something for certain someones!