Hubby told me that his work mate Helen was having a barbecue/birthday party at her house and that we were invited, great! She's a nice lady and I've been to parties at hers before, should be a good night! We were instructed to get there at about 5pm on Saturday. Looking forward to the barbie, so hubby and I just had an egg sandwich and a bag of crisps for lunch to tide us over before the yummy barbecue... You just know it's all going to go wrong now don't you? Yup...we got there to be met with a very sad looking buffet - It consisted of a couple of bowls of crisps, egg sandwiches, a bowl of lettuce leaves with a few cherry tomatoes sitting on top, chicken legs (looked undercooked to me) and a few shrivelled cocktail sausages (again decidedly pale!) and a couple of micro-quiches cut into about 10 pieces. Oh well, we'll get a burger on the way home maybe, I said quietly to OH. Oh well it's not all about the food is it? We we gave the hostess a couple of bottles of wine, plus a little birthday pressie, when she announced " I decided to have a candle party as well!" Just inside the french windows leading to the garden where everyone was sitting, there was a table full of catalogues and candle paraphenalia. We walked past grabbed a seat in the garden to be greeted by "Candle woman!" "Hi, do you like candles?"...Yes, they're nice...I said...Have you ever been to a partylite party before? No, I said to which she said have this as a special gift,and gave me a minute tealight that apparantely smells like daffodils when it's lit. She then asked OH the same question, he gave the same answer and also received a miniature tealight that also "smells like daffodils when it's lit!" Gee thanks.
Managed to steal a few non-candle related conversations whilst Candle woman was spreading her bountiful generosity amongst the other guests, then she was back! " Would you like to join the candle raffle? It's only £2 a square - pick a number and how ever much we raise, if your number is picked out then you'll win that much to spend in our catalogue -OH and I bought a number each, sneaked in another couple of "candle free" moments whilst she did the rounds. She'd left catalogues on all the tables, so I had a quick browse nearly swearing out loud on the top of my voice when I realised that the rather pleasant smelling citronella candle in a plain glass tumbler cost a massive £18.50. She'd only lit the candle because when she was littering the tables with her over priced, and dare I say tacky merchandise someone asked her whether she was going to light them,and she said no, then said oh go on then,as it's Helen's birthday, I'll light one of them!
As one would expect for a birthday party, a lot of drink was flowing, people were feeling relaxed and laughing,and when they could were enjoying "candle-free" fun and laughter.....Then suddenly CW (candlewoman) stood up and screeched across the garden "Anyone want to play a game?",( I can't say I remember anyone saying yes, or no for that matter) Right ladies, grab your handbags, don't worry guys you can play too, I'm sure someone will lend you a bag! Right, I'm going to shout out some letters of the alphabet and you've got to find something in your bag that begins with that letter, the first person to have something will win a special prize! " The first letter is E, everybody started to rummage, OH being the joker that he is shouted "Ectoplasm", much laughter ensued, I caught a glance at CW's face that had somehow transformed itself into a that of a bulldog sucking lemons, "Come on girls, you must have something beginning with E!" Eventually somebody produced an eyeliner...Well done you, have a prize, what do you want maltesers, mars, or snickers? as she produced a party bag of funsized from under the table! I was musing in wonderment over the generosity of it all, when I could hear her screeching "E" is also for....no one appeared to be listening, so she raised it a few hundred decibels "E, I SAID IS ALSO FOR ENTERTAINMENT, WHICH IS WHAT YOU'LL BE GUARANTEED IF YOU BOOK A PARTYLITE PARTY WITH ME!"...I won't bore you, but another 10 letters later, OH telling everybody that his "bag" contained Haemerroid cream, a pitchfork and a latrine, which initials also represent "Hostess" if you agree to be a hostess yada yada yada, "Prizes, you'll win loads of goodies if you book.blah blah and Light, there's nothing like candlelight to set a scene......and a few more low flying mini mars bars. RIGHT LADIES HAVE YOU ALL GOT A PEN? IF NOT THERES SOME OVER THERE WITH THE ORDER FORMS (GRAB A FEW OF THEM WHILE YOU'RE THERE!) now, I'm going to call out those letters again and they spell out something, first person to shout out what it is wins the main prize. (what's that I thought a full size mars bar) Guess what? I was the first one to spell out "HELEN'S PARTY". She handed me a tiny little muslin bag, can you guess what was in it? Yup it was a tealight to which CW delighted informed me would emit a gorgeous smell of fresh daffodils when I light it!
It was getting surreal at this stage, especially after what only seemed like a five minute breather when she came back at us all, RIGHT THIS WON'T COST YOU ANYTHING, JUST FILL IN THIS QUICK QUESTIONNAIRE AND YOU COULD WIN THIS BEAUTIFUL LANTERN WITH CANDLE..She held it up, indeed it was a thing of beauty, she handed out the questionnaire which consisted of about 20 regarding one's candle using habits and a space at the bottom for your name, telephone no./mobile and Email address. I could hear her mithering a couple at the bottom of the garden to which candles were probably, no definitely the last thing on their minds " HOW OFTEN DO YOU BURN CANDLES?" someone then shouted out "what time are you drawing it, 'cause I've got to go home soon....."END OF AUGUST" she said! Needless to say I shoved mine back into my ectoplasm filled bag and tried to enjoy the rest of the night! It was an experience to be sure, and not one I wish to repeat any time soon!
PS..Didn't win the candle raffle, the £21 to spend went to a girl who'd gone home, so the lady said she'd pick out something for her and give it to Helen to pass on...."daffodil tealights anyone?!"
Managed to steal a few non-candle related conversations whilst Candle woman was spreading her bountiful generosity amongst the other guests, then she was back! " Would you like to join the candle raffle? It's only £2 a square - pick a number and how ever much we raise, if your number is picked out then you'll win that much to spend in our catalogue -OH and I bought a number each, sneaked in another couple of "candle free" moments whilst she did the rounds. She'd left catalogues on all the tables, so I had a quick browse nearly swearing out loud on the top of my voice when I realised that the rather pleasant smelling citronella candle in a plain glass tumbler cost a massive £18.50. She'd only lit the candle because when she was littering the tables with her over priced, and dare I say tacky merchandise someone asked her whether she was going to light them,and she said no, then said oh go on then,as it's Helen's birthday, I'll light one of them!
As one would expect for a birthday party, a lot of drink was flowing, people were feeling relaxed and laughing,and when they could were enjoying "candle-free" fun and laughter.....Then suddenly CW (candlewoman) stood up and screeched across the garden "Anyone want to play a game?",( I can't say I remember anyone saying yes, or no for that matter) Right ladies, grab your handbags, don't worry guys you can play too, I'm sure someone will lend you a bag! Right, I'm going to shout out some letters of the alphabet and you've got to find something in your bag that begins with that letter, the first person to have something will win a special prize! " The first letter is E, everybody started to rummage, OH being the joker that he is shouted "Ectoplasm", much laughter ensued, I caught a glance at CW's face that had somehow transformed itself into a that of a bulldog sucking lemons, "Come on girls, you must have something beginning with E!" Eventually somebody produced an eyeliner...Well done you, have a prize, what do you want maltesers, mars, or snickers? as she produced a party bag of funsized from under the table! I was musing in wonderment over the generosity of it all, when I could hear her screeching "E" is also for....no one appeared to be listening, so she raised it a few hundred decibels "E, I SAID IS ALSO FOR ENTERTAINMENT, WHICH IS WHAT YOU'LL BE GUARANTEED IF YOU BOOK A PARTYLITE PARTY WITH ME!"...I won't bore you, but another 10 letters later, OH telling everybody that his "bag" contained Haemerroid cream, a pitchfork and a latrine, which initials also represent "Hostess" if you agree to be a hostess yada yada yada, "Prizes, you'll win loads of goodies if you book.blah blah and Light, there's nothing like candlelight to set a scene......and a few more low flying mini mars bars. RIGHT LADIES HAVE YOU ALL GOT A PEN? IF NOT THERES SOME OVER THERE WITH THE ORDER FORMS (GRAB A FEW OF THEM WHILE YOU'RE THERE!) now, I'm going to call out those letters again and they spell out something, first person to shout out what it is wins the main prize. (what's that I thought a full size mars bar) Guess what? I was the first one to spell out "HELEN'S PARTY". She handed me a tiny little muslin bag, can you guess what was in it? Yup it was a tealight to which CW delighted informed me would emit a gorgeous smell of fresh daffodils when I light it!
It was getting surreal at this stage, especially after what only seemed like a five minute breather when she came back at us all, RIGHT THIS WON'T COST YOU ANYTHING, JUST FILL IN THIS QUICK QUESTIONNAIRE AND YOU COULD WIN THIS BEAUTIFUL LANTERN WITH CANDLE..She held it up, indeed it was a thing of beauty, she handed out the questionnaire which consisted of about 20 regarding one's candle using habits and a space at the bottom for your name, telephone no./mobile and Email address. I could hear her mithering a couple at the bottom of the garden to which candles were probably, no definitely the last thing on their minds " HOW OFTEN DO YOU BURN CANDLES?" someone then shouted out "what time are you drawing it, 'cause I've got to go home soon....."END OF AUGUST" she said! Needless to say I shoved mine back into my ectoplasm filled bag and tried to enjoy the rest of the night! It was an experience to be sure, and not one I wish to repeat any time soon!
PS..Didn't win the candle raffle, the £21 to spend went to a girl who'd gone home, so the lady said she'd pick out something for her and give it to Helen to pass on...."daffodil tealights anyone?!"
