The 2008 Holiday NeckBeards are in! Let's start with some pictures.

The traditional hike up Spencer's Butte was handled by Bobby and Myself.

This is also what we looked like, just before dinner.

The Alden brothers, Aaron Todd (Esq.) and Dan are back again! And they brought along their brother Tim this year. Truly inspiring. When these guys aren't badassing around with guns and shit, some of the time they are making movies. You can see one here that scores a record-high 3 on the NeckBeard-having scale. Keep it up, brothers.

What's this? another pair of brothers have grown NeckBeards? Yes, they have. This picture speaks for itself. And to itself, unintelligibly, at a bus stop. Many thanks to the McCombe brothers for participating and for bringing the tradition to Philadelphia for the first time! Kudos!

Colin Frazer checks in with yet another stunning HNB from Colorado. He looks so much more dignified than last year! And the way he has let his HNB creep over the jawline in front gives him a real Lincolnian look.

Want to hear something incredible? This is Ben Vlaun's first HNB. He looks like an old pro!

Gerard Lester checks in with his first NeckBeard since 2005! It is wonderful to have you back, Mr. Lester. Tell your friends in Utah to send in pictures of their HNBs!

Jon Partridge. He's a friend of the Alden brothers, who told him about HNBs. Nice!

Zac Crosby, another recruit of the Alden brothers, embodying the idea "NeckBeards can be good looking."

Fuck yes! It's none other than Casey Kelly, the man who brought Holiday NeckBeards to Alaska. This year was another first up there, as Casey grew the first HNB on mainland Alaska. You have earned that beerski, Casey! (also, apologies to your pal whose picture from last year I got way late (I blame that crappy email address I used to use. Dang!) I have added his picture to the photos for 2007.)

Oh, look! Canada is on the Holiday NeckBeard map again this year to the hair efforts of Chris Hamilton. This is Chris' second HNB! Hearty kudos to both Chris and Canada!

Looks like Chris tried out a couple different HNB styles this year. Why not?

Here is a Blair Witchesque picture of Byron, a friend of the Aldens and a first time HNB participant. Kudos, Byron! That is a killer NeckBeard!

Check out this picture of my NeckBeard, the King NeckBeard of '08!

Thanks for the picture, Julia!

And these two pictures, blended to illustrate the dissapearance that happens to a NeckBeard every Christmas.

thanks for the pictures, dad!

Good for me! No, I didn't shave using that Candy Cane!

Well, personally speaking, the '08 HNB season was an exceptionally introspective one. The things I learned or thought about could be divided into two categories:

1. Things I learned about the Holiday NeckBeard tradition in general
   I was bad about recruiting this year. I think I was last year also. I'm not proud of that, but it does something interesting. It lets you see whether the tradition has a life of its own. It clearly does. There were other second- or third-time HNBers who not only grew HNBs this year, they even recruited new people into the tradition. That is fantastic! Plus, a lot of people that I see once in a while recognized that what I had on my chin was a Holiday NeckBeard, and they asked questions about it. The sphere of consciousness surrounding the HNB has clearly grown.
   
2. Things I learned about my own Holiday NeckBeard and self
   Despite an awesome growth, I was less confident than usual about shaping my own HNB. Can you believe that? I thought it was going to be a struggle making it through the full month. Once I had it though, and experienced its warm reception, I was very glad to have done it again. And then, after I was comfortable and cozy in my HNB, I had the time to think about why I was more nervous than usual. And I also thought about what things an HNB can mean if you let them. It was interesting. I don't think that there is a right or wrong interpretation of Holiday NeckBeards, so I'm not going to say too much about where my brain wandered. But it was interesting. And it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't followed through, so I guess I also relearned that it can be good to follow through on things.
   

See you next year!

-RPB

If you haven't already, send in a picture of your HNB!

"It looks like your head is floating on a pillow of hair."