November is finally upon us, and for most people this means getting mentally and physically prepared to gain tons of weight during the holidays. But November is much more than just turkeys, elections, and veterans, the month has been re-named ‘Movember’ or ‘No shave November’, giving men and women (but mostly men) the justification to put down their razors and let their hair be wild and free.

Starting on November 1st, all partakers in this holiday agree to go for an entire month without shaving any hair on their body, resulting in some pretty epic beards by the end of the month. Many men look forward to this month, as it gives them an excuse to express their inner manly man with some next level facial hair.

What many people do not know about Movember is that the whole point of the event is to raise awareness of cancer. According to No-shave.org, the goal of Movember is to raise awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients loose.   The Movember Foundation, which started in 2003, runs official campaigns in over twenty-one countries committed to changing the face of men’s health. They have raised over five-hundred-and-fifty-nine million dollars that go towards improving the lives of men affected by prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health problems.

So to all of you folks who wish to partake in this year’s hair-growing festivities, remember the true meaning behind the event. And to all of the facial-hair-disapproving girlfriends, brace yourselves Movember is here!