Gratitude 74

It's funny how often I can be made to eat my words.

I have never "gotten" the home sales party thing.  I have been invited to Tupperware and Pampered Chef parties in the past and I have never really been a fan.  While the home sales parties tend to self high quality merchandise, I find, anyway, that everything tends to be VERY expensive and I have always felt intense pressure to buy to support the hostess (that may be because the hostess has usually been my s.i.l. and there is always intense pressure from her about everything).  I always said I would never have one or put my friends in that position and I hated to go.

Fast forward to last night.  A friend from church was having a Partylite party and I was invited.  I didn't really want to go and I definitely wasn't going to spend money.  Imagine my surprise when I had a wonderful time.  Did I spend too much?  Yes (sorry, Partylite is the worst for being overpriced and I almost laughed out loud when the saleswoman was running down the "guest" specials available for anyone who spent $150 - I can just imagine the reaction from dh when I got home if I were to tell him that I had spent that much on candles!).  On the other hand, it was relaxed, the food was good and the company was wonderful.  I almost never get out on my own, especially in the evening, unless it is for a meeting or a work obligation, so to just get to hang out with some really nice women was such a treat.  I can now understand why people do this.  Don't worry, I won't be inviting you to a sales party anytime soon (I still would feel funny about doing that to my friends and anyway, I can't think of any sales parties that would interest them) but I do stand corrected.  Maybe there is a purpose for them after all beyond making a company a lot of money in a situation in which people feel obligated to buy.

Now, I can't wait for my candles to arrive :-).