Did you say Rubbermaid?

Did you know that women still throw Tupperware parties? I did not. I thought this was a housewife tradition that died with the 1950’s. When I hear the term “Tupperware Party” I envision women with dresses and frilly aprons all gathered around looking at products while sipping cocktails and eating bon bons. They are chit chatting about their husbands latest promotion, little Timmy’s A on his homework assignment and little Suzie’s love to follow mommy around with a broom. In my imaginings, Tupperware is just about the most exciting thing in their lives because this provides a chance for them to take a break from cleaning their home, cooking dinner, doing the wash and mending their husband’s work shirts. I mean, Tupperware has a lifetime warranty so they can justify using the allowance they receive from their husband on it.

I received my first Tupperware Party invitation a few weeks ago, maybe it’s a Northern thing? I went on Thursday night. I had a hard time getting over my preconceived notions to actually muster up the “want to” to attend but some of my girlfriends swore it was a good time and I’m always up for free stuff and some laughs.

It actually hasn’t changed that much from my imaginings, well, other then the dress. It was fun to get out of the house, be around other women, look at the neat products and laugh a lot. Husbands and children, for those who have them, did come up from time to time but we didn’t dwell on them. We laughed a lot because Tupperware parties are actually pretty fun for those of us with a competitive spirit. They play games, you laugh, you remark about how the products would improve your home and to be honest I had a really good time. I even won something!

The consultant was surprised I was at my first Tupperware Party but I was even more surprised to learn that the word Tupperware was like Kleenex, Xerox and Q-tips. When she made us go around the room and state what our favorite piece of Tupperware is I told the story of my Aunt Pat giving me tupperware as a gift once that had dividers in it so my food didn’t have to touch. (For those of you who know me well, you realize how important that gift was to me.) I was very proud of myself and my story. It wasn’t until a few minutes later after listening to some of the other women that I realized that what I was so fond of was Rubbermaid, not Tupperware. You have to understand, I refer to *all* the plastic pieces in my cabinet as Tupperware and not Rubbermaid Storage Containers, but I digress. I leaned over to the girl sitting next to me and said, “Is there a difference between Tupperware and Rubbermaid?” She looked at me funny and quickly shushed me. Apparently, the word Rubbermaid is not to be stated in the hallowed ground of a Tupperware Party.

I suppose this doesn’t reflect highly on my societal skills that I was unfamiliar with true Tupperware (until that evening) and didn’t know the difference between it and all the other various plastic storage containers available in the stores, but I’m okay with that. I’m not pretentious. I will say that Tupperware has some REALLY neat products. I even bought a few. But, did you know that you can get the same stuff for half the price at Target? It just says Rubbermaid and not Tupperware. But, Tupperware does have a lifetime warranty.