Hello, Friend!
Just the other day, in my writing group, one of my writing friends read us a story about her days as a representative for Home Interiors. Ever heard of it? It was one of those companies that sold their goods via a rep that did home parties. Man, oh man, did her story jiggle loose some fond memories! I went down one side of Memory Lane and back up the other. It also made me wonder . . .
Do those parties exist anymore? Now that we have the internet and can buy anything online, what’s happened to Tupperware parties of yore? Walk with me down that lane and see if you remember attending any of these special soirees.
I think the first home party I went to was for Mark Kay Cosmetics. That makes sense, right? I had no kids yet; life was all about me, Me, ME! So, of course, I wanted all the make-up to put on MY face. Sure, anyone could go buy their make-up at the drug store, but to purchase this stuff that comes in little pink containers, sold by a lady with bouffant hair and a pink Cadillac? Now, that’s living!
Until someone told me about Jafra. Ever heard of that one? Jafra was going to change my life. All because they used royal jelly from bees in their cosmetics. (Now that I think about it, what exactly is “royal jelly,” and why should it make me beautiful?) I really got stung falling for that product. (Sorry, I had to.)
Next? Holy moly, I still have a ton of these around my house: Longaberger Baskets! Are you familiar? They were a bit pricey, but how we’d drool over these baskets! What made them special is they were each handmade and initialed on the bottom by the basket maker. Is that why a tiny basket cost $50?? The Longaberger Lady would have so many fantastic ideas about utilizing these baskets in our homes. We drooled even more. After purchasing several of these baskets, Kevin said he was going to buy me a Longaberger “patch” to wear on my arm to slowly wean me from my addiction to them.
But wait! There’s more! Have you been to PartyLite parties? Who doesn’t want a candle or—ten candles? I went to these when we lived in Delaware. I bought so many candles from the Candle Lady that she tried to convince me I should be a PartyLite rep. Oh no, thought I. I want to go to parties and buy things, not sell them.
Perhaps the crème de la crème of all home parties, though—can you guess? Pampered Chef!! What delight! Not only did we peruse cookware and gadgets, but our P.C. Lady would cook for us! Yes, please! Didn’t we love the little spatulas this company made? And the little paring knives? Good Lord, who gets excited about spatulas and paring knives? I sure did.
The last one I’ll mention is Premier Jewelry. I don’t wear much jewelry, yet I seem to have a drawer full of it.
At these home parties, each guest had her own little shopping form. At the bottom of that form, no matter what type of party you were at, there were two boxes you could check. You may remember what they are. 1.) Yes, I’m interested in hosting a party at home! 2.) Yes, I’m interested in becoming a _______________ representative! I never checked #2, but I don’t know why, I checked #1 all the time! Party at Patti’s!!
For most of my married life, I have not “gone to work” outside of our home. (Please don’t say I “don’t work”; I’ll beg to differ.) We didn’t have kids for the first 5 years, so then I did work full-time, then part-time. I eventually became a stay-at-home mom, and these parties in my girlfriends’ homes became a lifeline for me. I was glad to be home with my kids when they were little, but I’m telling you what, that was the most challenging stretch of years in my life. Raising other humans isn’t an easy job.
But, oh, when those parties came along! It was a chance to wear something clean, put on a bit of make-up, hang out with other women, and even shop! It was fun to look through the catalogs and just be with grown-ups, even if you didn’t buy anything. And then, by hosting a party, there was the added bonus of getting “hostess points” for the dollars spent. Lordy, I once filled my cupboards with Pampered Chef products from my acquired hostess points.
The best thing about those parties, though, was the sense of community. We lived in Minnesota in those “little kid” years, and we were indoors—a lot! All of those companies I mentioned were ways for me to gather with other women, perhaps in similar circumstances, and be together. There was no texting or FaceTime in those days. A phone call could maybe happen. But these parties! Community!
It just so happens that the name of the church I belong to is called Community of Hope, and the Bible study I attend is Community Bible Study. They are two separate entities, but notice what they have in common?
I am so blessed to be a part of several circles or communities right now. I have a local group of girlfriends; I have my Bible study girlfriends. There’s my writing group that feels like a family. My college roommates that still keep in touch. Of course, my family. I’ve been in a little recorder group for years. (Yes, recorders are not just for elementary school kids!) I’m so grateful for the communities in which I’m a part. There are others, too numerous to mention—for which I feel quite blessed.
Have you heard of the Blue Zones? Those areas in the world where people live to be really old? Researchers studied their lifestyles, and one of the defining factors of their longevity was their sense of community—belonging.
May you find yourself among companions this week, my friend!
Written with love – – – Patti XOXO
PS. You might like to listen to this beautiful song, “No Man is an Island.” Click here, and get ready for goosebumps.