EVENINGS AT HOME | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 22, 1877

EVENINGS AT HOME.

The long evenings that follow the short days are made in some families the happiest of all happy times. The cares of the day are ended; the mother's resting-time has come; the father has dropped all sorts of business worries and perplexities; and the whole family throw themselves with zest into the innocent pleasures of the home circle.

It is well for the women of the household to remember that the pleasant evenings at home are strong antidotes to the practice of looking for enjoyment abroad, and seeking for pleasure in gay and forbidden places; for relaxation and recreation will be indulged in somehow by most men, and happy are they who find in the home circle the diversion they need. A lively game, an interesting book read aloud, or, in musical families, a new song to be practiced, will furnish pastime that will make an evening pass pleasantly.

A little forethought during the day, a little pulling of wires that need not appear, will make the whole thing easy; and different ways and means may be provided for making the evening hours pass pleasantly—for making them a time to be looked forward to with pleasant anticipations. We visited once in a large family where it was the duty of each sister, in turn, to provide the evening's occupation, and there was a pleasant rivalry between them as to whose evening should be the most enjoyable. The brothers entered fully into the spirit of the simple home entertainments, and were as loth to be obliged to spend an evening away from home as their sisters and parents were sorry to have them absent. Every one spoke of this family as an uncommonly united one; for each member showed a strong attachment for the home to which each one contributed so much pleasure.—Sel.