Tuesday, February 28, 2012

My Thoughts on Tupperware and Other Home Parties



My OCD is *totally* becoming Out. Of. Control.Look how amazing junk food looks in these containers!


 Back in the day (which was a Wednesday, by the way), I did not enjoy going to home parties.  I also didn’t see the point of oohing and ahhing over vases and table settings at a bridal shower.

However, after oohing and ahhing over my own vases and table settings at my own bridal shower (almost nine years ago), I get it.  (I get it so much now, I am wondering why we don’t throw showers for milestones like ten year anniversaries.  Right?  Who’s with me on this one)?

In retrospect, I just didn’t understand the value of a home party.  When I was pregnant with Marie, I was pretty sure (and by pretty sure, I was 99.75% sure) that I didn’t want to teach.  I needed to find something else, a new beginning.

So I looked into selling Body Shop products at home parties.  This new beginning didn’t pan out (I’m not such a good sales person and the home party division disintegrated after the owner of Body Shop died).  However, besides a suitcase full of products and premium towels (that make the best cleaning rags EVER), I was left with the notion of how important it is for women to support each other in finding new beginnings.

Not only is it a chance to help women find a fresh start, a home party is the perfect time to get together with people that aren’t in my regular rotation (in which I always wonder why we don’t get together more often). I just threw a Tupperware party (with the best Tupperware lady in the whole wide world . . . and I’m not just saying that because we are related), and I was able to catch up with extended family that I rarely see and neighbors I want to get to know better.   It was fun to integrate my different social circles. 

I yearn for a sense of community that I feel is missing from suburbia, and I see this as a great opportunity to create it with people in the different areas of my life. Times have changed: Gone are the days when no one moved away from their families and everyone is still gathered together for birthday parties and weekly dinners.  It’s not like moms are getting together for coffee after the kids are at school. (At least not my neck of suburbia.  If your suburbia looks like that, let me know, I may want to move there).

So no longer do I roll my eyes, let out an exasperated sigh, and think of an excuse to get out of a home party.

I look at it as a chance to support someone’s new adventure, hang out with some friends, and chat over junk food and wine.

When’s the last time you went to a Tupperware party?  Have you recently hosted or attended a home party?  What do you think of them?

3 comments:

Christina S. said...

I'm a Tupperware addict! I used to sell it (a million years ago - wayyyy before Wednesday!)and made quite a good income from it too.

I think the secret to a good Tupperware party, or any other home party, is a vibrant representative and a social hostess.

New York Mama said...

Great article! I do love home parties, especially with a great hostess and representative!<3 Tupperware is great! Love Love showers too!
In my neck of the woods, we do get together for coffee after school drop off from preK through high school. Also in my apt building we do run over for coffee with kids or not in our pjs. As you point out it is not suburbia. It is the "big city" which is really like living in a small town in so many ways.

Annie said...

Totally agree! For about six months I was a 'stylist' with Stella & Dot. I truly like their jewelry, needed some extra cash and was desperate for more adult conversation than I was finding at the playground.

Some were supportive, but most treated me like a leper. (hence the short 6 months as a stylist-ha) I just didn't understand it...why WOULDN'T you want me to bring cute jewelry over to your house and have an excuse to get your friends together, drink wine and try it on? I didn't have any intentions of forcing people to purchase something before exiting the party or anything!

In any event, I will ALWAYS try to attend if you invite me to any such thing! (Well, unless it's way over there in Detroit, that is.) ;)