to think that so-called 'parties' are really naff

[SpeckledHen]

you know the kind of things where you get drinks and nibbles and someone puts on a 'sohw' and lots of pressure to buy expensive cookery ware, candles, make up ....

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Mostly I avoid these like the plague. We have Usborne books & Phoenix cards at preschool.

And a friend has a chocolate party in November so I can get seasonally drunk with everyone and buy something 'novelty' for all the relatives I don't like.

I've never been invited to any of these .

Suspect they would be my idea of unmitigated hell but weirdly still want an invitation.

ditto flea

i obviously don't live in the 'right' cul-de-sac!

There is a girl at work, she invited me to her candle party. Her opening persuasive gambit was "I'm doing a mini raffle and if you win you get £40 to spend on candles". £40 for candles ? Really ? Is there a cash alternative ?

Bless her, she's a nice enough girl but I will be avoiding the candle party like the plague.

fnial word though - it is a flexible way of working for the person pushing the products. fits in with kiddies since it is evening work.

I quite like the Bodyshop ones. Have been at a candle party once and tbh I was bored to tears.

Well, they are all about making money for people who either can't do a 9-5 job or just need extra cash (and I am a seller for both Avon and Usborne). I think it's a bit naff for people to invite you to their house and then say oh by the way it's a make-up/books/candles/kitchenware party (or not to tell you till you arrive.

I try not to do parties with my two businesses anyway - I do catalogues through the doors and at playgroups rather than bugging people to buy stuff (with the exception of the local sheltered housing where I pay them a visit every 6 weeks and take in samples). Mind you my reluctance to be a total pain in the fanjo forever hassling everyone I know to sing up to my shcemes may be why I make so little money.

Pampered Chef - when we lived on a base in Cambs there were a lot of Americans lived there and one of them, who attended ums and tots regularly was a Pampered Chef consultant. So was a British woman living on the base. I got my stone baker thing for $13 from my American friend, my neighbour paid about £28 for hers from the UK based consultant.

YANBU. Naff city.