Thanksgiving Masks were a Hot Commodity
While Thanksgiving maskers often painted their faces, commercially produced masks hit the market in the late 1800s. German manufacturers made a huge variety of prefabricated papier mache Thanksgiving masks. Meanwhile, American factories churned out lighter, breathable masks made of painted cotton gauze. A November 21, 1897, article in the Inter Ocean news from Chicago, Illinois confirms Thanksgiving’s grip on costuming and masks. The opening line in the article boldly claims, “Thanksgiving time is the busiest season of the year for the manufacturers of and dealers in masks and false faces. The fantastical costume parade, and the old custom of masking and dressing up for amusement Thanksgiving Day keep up from year to year in many parts of the country so that the quantity of false faces sold at this season is enormous.”