National Beard Day

 When you think of individuals with beards what characteristics come to mind?? Masculinity, rugged, wisdom and possibly even wildness. Some mean can look strong and mature, others may look rugged and strong, while others are blessed with a look of wisdom but at the same time a beard may also make some look a bit wild. Do you have a beard or love someone that does?? 

Beard Day is celebrated the first Saturday of September every year. History would show that all men primarily had beards until around the year 4,000 when shaving became a custom. One reason that men sported beards was because a beard helped prevent a layer of warmth. Many places around the world admired their men and the beards that they wore. In fact, one town in Sweden would ban all men without beards out of the town as a way to shame them for not having a beard. 

One of the famous individuals that appreciated his look because of a beard had the word beard as part of the name he went by. Black Beard was a pirate whose real name was Edward Teach. Black Beard was around during the early American colonies that were still under British control. 

Being from Illinois I would be shamed if I did not include our famous president from Illinois. President Abraham Lincoln was one of only 5 United States Presidents that sported a beard. The others were Ulysses S Grant, Rutherford Hayes who gets credit for having the longest beard, James Garfield, and Benjamin Harison. However there is another famous man that while he has never been president, he wears a full beard to aid in warmth and is recognized everywhere he goes, dressed in red and is known to the world as Santa Claus. 

Don't worry for all you that do not like the look of beards or the feel of them either your day will arrive next month. On October 18th the National NO Beard Day will arrive.