Masks...historical...celebratory...safety...and just plain daft!

I came across the slightly crazy Masked Singer show on ITV this year and the bizarre costumes started my mind whirring about masks. For most of us mask-wearing has become an unfortunate way of life over the last year or two. But masks are seen in so many different parts of the world too. Think of the elegance of Venetian Masquerade masks - elaborate and mysterious, these were used to conceal one’s identity and to allow mingling between classes. A visit to Venice Carnival in the last two weeks of February is something not to be missed – stay in one of the grand hotels along the Venice canals and watch the incredible spectacle of extravagant costumes and finery. Or how about the clay masks used in Mexico to celebrate Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. These masks are often decorated with colourful butterflies and flowers. The Day of the Dead is not as morbid as it may sound, rather it is a national day of celebration in Mexico, where families celebrate the lives and deaths of their lost loved ones, and gift them with their favourite things. Often toys for children and alcohol for adults. This celebration runs over the last few days of October and into early November and taking a trip to Mexico at this time means that you will experience this everywhere. I have been to this celebration myself and found the whole experience fascinating, colourful and uplifting. Junkanoo is celebrated in the Bahamas for four days between Christmas and New year. Thought to have originated many hundreds of years ago, it was a chance for enslaved people to celebrate the holidays they had been granted over Christmas by wearing elaborate costumes and parading and dancing to drums and music. Elaborate masks were crafted from flour paste, were wildly colourful and often featured cow horns. The Bahamas consists of 16 main islands, and a visit here at Christmas would not only allow you to experience Junkanoo, but to swim with the pigs – something on many a bucket list! Right now in early 2022 we often still need to be wearing masks of our own, particularly when we are jetting off to these wonderful locations. I recently flew to the Maldives, and in all honesty the idea of wearing a mask, constantly, for such a long period of time didn’t fill me with joy. However, I soon learned that actually it wasn’t a problem. Within a short time I forgot that I was wearing it, my book, a couple of films, a bit of food and drink and a snooze, and we were there. Being in paradise was worth a few hours of mask wearing!