SenioRITAs (RESEARCH IS THE ANSWER) sold masks at the SenioRITAS 22nd annual kickoff to a tournament that raises money for breast cancer research.
Villains, plus Harley Quinn and the Suicide Squad? Everyone enjoys Halloween treats and this year the treats include food costumes, such as Cheetos Flamin’ Hot, pickles, PB&J sandwiches and bananas. What would Halloween be without a family of hero teams - anime favorites, Disney Princesses vs. Also popular are characters from the past, such as Teletubbies, Care Bears and Killer Klowns from Outer Space. This year’s top trends in Halloween masks and costumes include “Creepy Families,” (think the Addams Family and Beetlejuice), as well as denizens of the underworld - devils, demons, witches and vampires. And right next door in the South Beach Regional Plaza, Home Depot is selling larger than life animated spooky characters. Spirit offers everything from masks and costumes for all ages to spooky décor. Spirit Halloween has taken over the former Stein Mart Jacksonville Beach location this month. I prefer a disguise when purchasing obscene amounts of junk food,” actress Sarah Thyre said. “From now on I’m always going to wear a mask to the grocery store. Masks also are used by evil doers, such as bank robbers, or folks who simply don't wish to be recognized. Some occupations require a face covering, such as a diving mask, a welding mask, football helmets or fencing masks, used in sports. There are medical masks (oxygen masks, anesthetic masques and surgical masks) and protective masks worn by Roman gladiators and modern day policemen. They’ve been used worldwide in rituals and ceremonies to represent ancestors and exorcise evil spirits, as well as for hunting, in wars, for entertainment and for functional purposes. On the other hand, some folks object to masks because they are annoying, muffle conversation and can even cause acne. Masks protect the wearer from catching an infection and from spreading germs to non-mask wearers. On one hand, along with frequent hand washing, public health experts recommend wearing masks as the best way to stop the virus spread. Today mask-wearing has become controversial. It’s also a term for a face without a body. The word “mask” came from the French term “masque,” meaning to cover or guard the face. The oldest surviving mask is made of stone and dates to 7000 BC. Masks have been used for rituals and ceremonies for centuries. I’ve reached the age when everyone looks familiar, but I can’t remember their names. Indeed, masks do compound the recognition issue. Folks wore costumes and scary masks to keep the spirits from knowing their identities. Halloween masks can be traced back centuries to the Celtic festival of Samhain, a celebration of summer’s end and the beginning of the cold, dark winter months, when the Celts believed spirits would pass from the world of the dead to wreak havoc on the living. Once upon a time mask wearing was viewed as fun. The 2020 pandemic put a damper on Halloween parties, but thanks to masks and vaccinations the fun night of trick-or-treating ghosts and goblins is expected to return triumphantly. Summer is gone and Halloween’s back! It’s time to change out your coronavirus masks for something a bit more glamorous, entertaining or scary. “A mask tells us more than a face.” - Oscar Wilde, Irish poet and playwright