Volume 6, Issue 6
Editor’s Note
In 1999, a group of 80 young men from Adelaide, South Australia decided to grow moustaches to raise money for charity throughout the month of November, coining the term Movember. Since then, this idea has become a worldwide phenomenon. This concept has evolved over the years from just moustaches to full grown beards, creating what is now known as No-Shave November. Men around the world participate in this masculine tradition for many reasons, including raising awareness of men’s health issues, to help keep warm during the early transitions of winter, to prove their manliness, or possibly out of shear laziness. For the past three years, I too have shared in this time-honored tradition. As I write this, I am currently sitting at day 14 of my razor strike, growing more brutish by the minute.
Even though the month of November gets a lot of the credit for over grown facial hair, the beard’s reach goes even farther than that. Just ask the boys of Duck Dynasty, who made long beards the hottest male fashion accessory of the season. You know it’s true when you see more “Uncle Si” Halloween costumes than you do ghosts, vampires or zombies. If that is not enough, the beard even grew itself into the sports world. As the 2013 MLB World Champion Boston Red Sox players grew out their beards as a sign of camaraderie, better known as “beard bonding”. You can’t argue with their silly sports superstition, considering they won their third World Series in the last decade.
It might seem impossible to come up with a more popular bearded man than Santa Claus, especially this time of year! This portly, red-suit-wearing, white-bearded, jolly fellow brings smiles to the faces of children all over the world as he arrives with his bag full of toys. I’m no Kris Kringle, but I am a jolly, bearded, magazine publisher who finds happiness in bringing the people of Saline county “good tidings of great joy” from our community each year.
Saline County Lifestyles is proud to continue to be a part of your holiday season, with our 6th Annual Christmas Edition. On behalf of everyone who contributed to this issue, let me wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Your town. Your life. Your magazine.
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