No.

I promised y'all the other day that I would share my special secret never fail way of saying no.

I was going to wait until after our Christmas in July Tea because when you come shopping with us I want you to say, "Yes, yes, yes! More, more, more!"

But then I thought - what if you really want to come to our event but you are afraid to because you've never been able to tell a Tupperware Lady, "no"?

First of all, Tupperware Ladies are a kinder and gentler breed than when our moms were selling it. And if you don't come and stop by the Tupperware table you'll miss your chance to order this:




It's their old standby cake taker - with added deviled egg server! I'm simply beside myself here!

(No, that wasn't sarcasm - what's wrong with you people? I am truly coveting this!)

So anyway - do not fear the tupper!

No one at our event is going to pressure you into doing something you don't want. But if someone out there in the cold cruel world (or the hot and muggy world) does want to pressure you I can help.


First of all - most of us are trained to explain ourselves, especially when we are giving the 'wrong' answer. So when the hypothetical Chia Home Decor & Nutritional Supplement Consultant asks us if we would like to host a Chez Chia Party we say, "No, I'm sorry, I have my 90 year old uncle living with me in a hospital bed in the living room."

You can bet our Chez Chia lady has a built in answer for that! I think that there is a company in New York that does nothing but think up ways to say no and then formulates arguments. I imagine their rates are outrageously high, partly because they already know the answer to, "Sounds good but I'm not sure we can afford it"

The company used to be based in Minnesota but the local workers have been taught since birth to respond with, "Not a problem. So sorry to bother you."

But I digress. (Okay - everyone surprised that I did not stay on topic raise your hand - I have some Chia seed for you!)

So when the Chez Chia lady (or even scarier - the president of the PTA - approaches you with a request you don't want to fulfill you say, "No."

Yep, that's the whole secret. "No."

The hardest part of this is stopping at the period. You say, "No."

You don't say, "Oh I would love to but. . . ."

You don't say, "No. If there was any way I could.. . . "

Try this on something easy - you need to practice because it is way harder than it sounds. It is almost impossible in the beginning for those of us raised with strict manners. But it works!

One thing I do just to keep it interesting and to keep from feeling like a monster is to add stuff at the beginning,

"Oh, aren't you sweet for asking. No."



I like to use that one on phone sales people! Especially when they are telling me I won something. The trick there is to make sure the little fluff bit dosen't weaken your "no".



The difference between, "Thank you for thinking of me, no" and "Oh, I'm just too busy, no" is the difference between having fun lunches with your girlfriend and spending six weeks distributing overpriced wrapping paper.



If you want to help the PTA sell wrapping paper than do it and enjoy it. But don't be the one doing it because you didn't have a good enough excuse!




And if you happen to have some of that left over Christmas wrapping paper in your closet then you simply must come to our event and buy fun stuff to wrap!