Halloween's over, Thanksgiving's not for a few weeks, and you don't even want to think about Christmas shopping yet (even though the store displays are already urging you to). So what's a Bostonian to do for the first 2/3rds of November?

Easy: grow a moustache.

For those not in the know, November is now officially Movember, a time for shaving one's face clean on the first of the month and growing the most glorious moustache possible in the span of 30 days. The preferred technique is to grow a moustache only (no beard), but truly remarkable mo-beard combos may be justified.

Although there are various "official" moustache months throughout the year, Bostonist supports Movember for its catchy name (really, what other months could work so well--Mecember? Mapril? Mune?) and its charitable focus. Movember.com offers moustache growers and non-growers alike the chance to register a moustache-growing team, sponsor moustache growth, and more, while Movember.org has a moustache manifesto to inspire your facial hair growth. Movember.com is even, apparently, supported by Playboy--what more of a recommendation do you need? The ladies clearly love moustached men.

According to the achingly accurate moustache history at Mustache Summer, the Greek and Roman empires fell due to their resistance to moustache-growing, and the moustache has always (and rightly) been considered a sign of wisdom in Asia. Stake your claim to a place in history and start growing your 'stache today.

The World Beard and Mustache Championships were recently held in England, and the next championship will be held in Anchorage, Alaska, on May 23, 2009. Forget Beijing--Movember is the perfect time to start training so you can earn your gold medal in '09!

And if wisdom and world championships aren't enough motivation, we encourage you to do it for Robert. After all, nothing says tribute like moustache.

Henry Cabot Lodge image from Wikipedia. Manny Ramirez + Ladies image from http://b-o-m-m.blogspot.com/2007/10/mustache-science-world-series-2007.html. Robert Goulet image from http://www.robertgoulet.com/.