Among the array of masks for sale in Paris for Mardi Gras, masks of politicians, Nicolas Sarkozy, Francois Hollande and Vladimir Putin were surprisingly the most popular according to one shopkeeper, making for ironic gifts.
"People generally buy them as a joke, or as a gift for someone, like a friend, whose opinion is radically different from the views of this politician. People often think that giving someone a mask like that would be funny," Antoine Jalu, shopkeeper at Au Feu de la Fête told TF1.
Another shopkeeper said that Venetian masks (think Eyes Wide Shut) were most popular with adults, although do-it-yourself masks are gaining in popularity.
Mardi Gras, or "Fat Tuesday" is a Christian feast, which in many historically Catholic communities has become more popular as a carnival celebration.
