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'Masking' Memories: Thanksgiving In Disguise : NPR History Dept. In the early 20th century, Americans wore gaudy costumes and bizarre masks, and some roved the streets begging for candy and treats — at Thanksgiving time.

NPR History Dept.

A fresh look at American history

NPR History Dept.

'Masking' Memories: Thanksgiving In Disguise

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Thanksgiving maskers, circa 1910-1915. Bain News Service/Library of Congress hide caption

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Bain News Service/Library of Congress

Thanksgiving maskers, circa 1910-1915.

Bain News Service/Library of Congress

These days it seems like the holidays are running together — at least commercially speaking — when Halloween masks start popping up around Labor Day and Christmas trappings are for sale in the stores before Thanksgiving.

In the stores it feels sort of like Hallothankshanachristmasgivingween.

But the jumbling of holidays is not exclusive to contemporary times. Turns out that people all across America used to wear costumes on or near Thanksgiving, which effectively created a mash-up of Halloween and Turkey Day.

So in honor of Thanksgiving Week, here is an encore presentation of a holiday story we posted — under a different guise — last year.

Follow me @NPRHistoryDept; lead me by writing lweeks@npr.org

NPR History Dept.

A fresh look at American history