The Century-Old Forgotten Tradition of Masking, Cross-Dressing and Ragamuffin Day

06Oct2018

Thanksgiving and Leo's favorite Halloween all wraped up into one party at Thanksgiving time, before the winter takes over.

From 17:00 until 02:00

Sounds just right for Keno City.

Thanksgiving "masking" derived from a satire of poverty and the tradition of mumming, an ancient pagan custom in which men and women would swap clothes and visit their neighbors to ask for food or money for Christmas, often in exchange for music.

In the late 19th century, "masking" had transformed into a day in which children dressed up in costumes, poverty-inspired "ragamuffin" rags and masks, taking to the streets to beg for sweets or money. Thanksgiving soon became known as Ragamuffin Day.

The exact origins of Thanksgiving masking remain unknown, but reports of ragamuffin children begging for sweets began to emerge at the beginning of the 1900s.

Just another fun thing to do, Leo loves to play.

 

 

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