
Why does Santa have a beard but Mrs Claus doesn't?
A beard might come in handy if ever Father Christmas got in a fight.
Men grow facial hair because of the stimulatory effects of male hormones like testosterone. Professor Paul Sherman of Cornell University believes that it is likely that a beard’s colour and texture played a role in ‘sexual selection’, meaning beards were useful for attracting mates or intimidating rivals. A beard could cushion a man’s face against blows in a fight and hide scars from previous fights.
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