Opening Lines: Movember isn’t the only themed month

ROUND about now you’ll start to notice it: a general untidiness among even the cuff-linkiest of work colleagues. Go on, ask them. They’re just ITCHING to tell you.

Movember — growing a moustache for charity — is one of the more established secular traditions of ‘doing something for a month’. Of course, November has been like that for centuries. The Holy Souls are said to get a fill-up this month, as prayers are offered up for remission for their time in Purgatory. (You don’t see much mention about purgatory now, unless it’s in an article related to waiting lists in the public health service.)

This year, in the UK, Movember has been joined by Octsober — going off ‘the drink’ for the month.