As a young married woman, I wanted to be included in events of a social nature, with the possibility of making new friendships that might endure for decades.
But as a young married woman, I feared that some of the social invitations would include house parties where a sales person would attempt to sell those in attendance on the virtues of jewellery, bubble bath beads, or cooking wares such as Tupperware. The more sales generated, the more prizes the hostess would earn, and if someone booked a party in her own home, the awards grew and grew.
I had nothing against such gatherings, except for the fact I didn’t have any spare cash with which to purchase much or any of the products being offered. I enjoyed receiving the free samples and the lunches were especially worth the effort to attend.
However, I was embarrassed to hide in the bathroom when the sales sheets made the rounds, and I felt even more out of my depth when I picked out the cheapest item and reluctantly signed my name and handed over the required money.
But from that first Tupperware party I attended at the home of a work colleague, I bought my first Tupperware containers: a set of three bowls, with lids, all in that traditional white of Tupperware. Those bowls took my budget of spare cash but over the years, they have earned their keep and still hold a place of easy access in my kitchen cupboard.
Then I was convinced by another friend that if I hosted a party, she would receive enough points to earn some gadget she couldn’t live without but couldn’t afford to buy. I invited two or three ladies, then a few more and suddenly I had 10 or so guests coming for Tupperware and lunch. One lady, upon hearing about the party, asked if she could attend. I agreed and wow, she spent over $200 and I won two cake pans and a measuring cup.
When I heard the recent news that the Tupperware company was experiencing lost sales and revenues and facing a shaky future, I couldn’t help but wonder how the staple of every household of my generation had reached such an economic conundrum.
My research indicates home parties and direct sales are not as popular with today’s homemakers. On-line shopping has intruded and other companies, copying Earl Tupper’s ideas, have taken away a huge share of the market.
That news hurt my loyal heart and I remembered all the Tupperware purchases that followed that first set of bowls. I still use the set of three microwave safe containers. I have three measuring cups in non-metric measurements. I have a set of three yellow cookie containers, one of which is stained from the mincemeat tarts that spoiled one Christmas. Of course I didn’t throw it out. Cover the bottom with a paper towel or coloured waxed paper and it still works just fine. I have measuring spoons and a funnel.
And I had a container that was absolutely the correct size for pre-cooking vegetables for special dishes. But then one day it got used to make a noodle soup from those packages where all you do is add water.
The person making the soup forgot to add the water and there in the microwave among burned and stinky noodles, sat the mis-shaped and somewhat melted container. I should have saved it. A long-time Tupperware sales person said she could have replaced it at no charge if only I had the damaged piece to turn in.
So I live in hope that the Tupperware company will find a way to survive. I don’t want to attend a house party (unless the lunch is extra-special) but if I were invited, I’d make sure not to hide in the bathroom, and I’d take enough cash (or a credit card) to earn the hostess a point or two towards a coveted widget.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
