What Did the Puritans Do for Fun?
Puritans had fun by playing games, singing songs, celebrating with festivals, and drinking wine and beer. Life was not all gloom and doom for the Puritans, who only believed in the fundamental rule of following God’s law above all else.
Although Puritan life was strict and hard, there were still opportunities to have fun. With their parents’ permission, children were allowed to sing and play games. Festivals celebrating God’s blessings were also fun events for socializing.
Despite the popular image of Puritans who dressed only in serious, dark colors, Puritan clothing came in lots of different colors. The Puritans used vegetable dyes to make their clothing more cheerful and bright.
Another way that Puritans had fun was the moderate consumption of alcohol. Inns and taverns made up an important part of Puritan life, especially for the men. Women were encouraged to read, particularly the Bible, and many Puritan families enjoyed music and dancing.
According to some historians, the Puritan view of premarital sex was actually much more lenient than many people realize. Sex before marriage was an acceptable form of entertainment, particularly for males. Some teenage girls even became pregnant deliberately in order to convince their families to let them marry.
