To feel irritated by invites to Pampered Chef parties?

[WashwithCare]

or tupperware or candles parties or Usborne books or whatever it is this time...

Yes, I know I could politely refuse, but I always end up feeling obligated to go, because it is my neighbour, or DD's best mate's Mum, or the Mum is feeling weepy or looking for some sort of specific favour from me...(usually canapes)....

So there I am, again, on one of my rare nights out, and I'm not sipping wine and eating olives in a fashionable bar whilst discussing politics - I'm sitting in someone's kitchen, listening to a lecture about the quality of the wax, whilst the display of hand painted candle holders flickers away in the corner. Then although there is apparently no obligation to buy, I will then feel obliged to spend 20 minutes dicussing the quality of the hand painting/perfume/ingenuity of this AMAZING kitchen gadget before orderng £35 "worth" of stuff I could have bought in IKEA for £3.50.

If people want to throw a party, why not just buy a wine box and a packet of peanuts and invite people to talk to each other. They don't even have to clear up before hand - I wouldn't mind. Remember, like we used to when we were students?

AIBU?

Dont go then?
Or you throw a party instead?

YANBU

I never go

I think people get duped somewhat into thinking that a. it might be fun and b. they might make a few quid. Inevitably neither turns out to be true.

I love pampered chef. Nobody where I live is doing pampered chef anymore. The stoneware is great, particularly the muffin tin for making Yorkshire puddings in.

I hate hate hate this sort of thing - and what gets me the most is "oh but you don't HAVE to buy anything" I got invited to a christmas card party this year FFS!! No thankyou.

I went to a bodyshop party once and spent the hour picking up the woman about their not testing on animals claims. I didnt get invited to the next one!

Anne Summers though - different story!! So long as the wine is flowing and the rabbits are buzzing im happy.

I don't really get why they are called parties either - they are blatantly NOT parties and you can tell that anyone there doesnt want to be there, but felt obliged.

The last one I did was a PC - this awful woman makng an equally foul mess out of a croissant dough and giggling inanely all the way through. I didn't know there was such an ingreedient as ready made croisant dough..

All the time boasting how awful she was at cooking, but how easy it became once she got her PC apple coring spice mill gadget...

It tasted vile.

Then for the next 2 weeks, the "hostess" used every available opporutnity to tell me how much free stuff she'd got. IT WASN:T FREE STUFF - it was blood money for emotionally blackmailing her mates into buying a load of over-priced crap.

Ahhh... I feel much better now I got that off my chest....

MillyR - why not just go to Lakeland instead?

Well at least you lot weren't dragged along to tupperware parties as a child - i mean, WHY???????

I never go.
I can't think of one that isn't selling stuff way overpriced for what it is.
But I agree it can be uncomfortable when friends or acquaintances try and sell you stuff.

Oh dear I had such a good time at the pampered chef party I was at before christmas I got borne away on a tide of pure sugar ( from the chocolate waffle bake she made) and agreed to hold one in February.

I will however be donating any profits to the Endometriosis society rather than getting free gifts, does that exempt me somewhat.

I would however rather gouge my own eyes out than ever attend another Body Shop party and have also studiously avoided all candle parties on the basis that I know what a candle looks like and we already have a box of nice plain white ones should the electricity go off.

Wow, clearly I am fortunate enough to be running with a good crowd, as nobody I know does any of this. Or at least, they don't invite me ...

Have never even heard of Pampered Chef actually -- what a terrible name! Am picturing a Little Chef figure reclining on a chaise longue receiving a pedicure.

Maybe it's the partys you go to.
Our street has held one of either of those you mentioned each last year.
They usually end at 3 am way after the 'official party' ends.

I thoroughly agree with the OP. About everything, whatever it is.

Have to confess i love PC too , am amassing a fab collection of stoneware , love it!

I just noticed who it is.

Not that contentious though, surely? The parties do sound crap.

hahaha @ OP

I am awful at these things, I come out having bought an Automatic Raisin Slicer for 25 quid and a deep sense of regret

Didn't you feel a desperate need to buy a pizza stone then I just don't go to the ones I'm not fussed about, and never buy if I don't want to. I go for the wine and the chinwag.

cakey i agree i didn't buy anything from recent candlelight party i went too , very overpriced imo
But keen to add to my stoneware so always turn up to PC partys !

I can't find any stone baking items at Lakeland, and I am very particular about Yorkshire puddings. I don't like to add any oil or fat but still want them to be massive, which is possible with stoneware.

In the process of looking this up I have seen lots of other nice baking things at Lakeland though. The rabbit cake tins would make DD very excited.

My tip for Body Shop parties is just to buy lots of bottles of the hand wash. Then you haven't wasted a lot of money on things you don't need and smell of ylang ylang or some other horror.

MillyR - le crueset? a little dab of beef dripping ne'er did anyone any harm anyway

While I am moaning... the party lite candle - made from wax that is apparently infinitely superior... they don't smell any better than the IKEA candles..

IKEA do a lovely cinnammon candle for about £1.50 - lovely jubbly...

I covet Pampered Chef stoneware but a little too expensive for me.

It's 20% off this month (all PC stoneware) - can you tell I've just started as a consultant??!!

Do CAT me if you want to order

Candle parties?
Really?
Blimey.

I was once iller than I have ever been at a Virgin cosmetics party. Necked vats of that bright yellow incredibly alcoholic Australian wine to get through it then tried to soak up damage with cook-from-frozen canapes.

O
M
F
G

The next morning I was sooo ill (and had bought a plie of crap to boot).Drove the kids to their riding lesson but as we arrived, relaised i couldn't do it. Threw up down my sleeve, tottered across drive, thrust cash into stable boy's hand and got back to car telling kids 'The horses aren't very well today.

Drove home heaving out of the window with my anxious offspring saying 'Mummy! Should we take you to hospital?'

Hideous.

Moondog you lush!

I have not long given up Pampered Chef and the best Party I did ended at 2am (I think) and I staggered home up the road after we 'cleared' up all the alcohol that was brought by guests, mind the guests were all in staggering distance as well.