I don't handle awkward silence very well (probably because I come from a huge family where there's always a lot of commotion) so when I find myself sitting at the Thanksgiving table with people other than my family and only hear the sound of food being shoved into mouths, I get really awkward and start blabbering about whatever pops into my head first and that generally garners blank stares.

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I don't even think I know how to eat at a table without having some sort of discussion. If you're like me and awkward silence makes you uncomfortable, I've got a topic that you can bring up that will definitely spark conversation...the subject of Thanksgiving Masking.

Thanksgiving Masking is really interesting and a subject that's sure to gain at least one response. If you don't know what Thanksgiving Masking is, here's a little history lesson for you:

About 100 years ago, kids didn't go trick-or-treating on Halloween. No, kids actually went out in search for treats on Thanksgiving.  This was called "Thanksgiving Masking"  and the way that it worked is that kids would get dressed up as beggars and hobos, wear masks, and go door-to-door for candy and pennies- much like our kids do on Halloween night.

 

Nobody really knows when Thanksgiving Masking ended, but some places were still doing it in the 1940s, so maybe your grandparents will remember participating in Thanksgiving Masking as kids and keep the table conversation going.

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