For those who might be considering getting a hand-poked tattoo, we've got the low-down on what to expect when booking your first appointment. What are hand-poked tattoos?

They are considered to be the Nordic version of Santa Claus and one gonk fan, Debbie Fox, revealed that she loves gonks so much that her and her best friend got matching gonks tattooed on their arms.A Gonk is essentially a Christmassy gnome-type creature; they have big beards, big hats, big bottoms, and you can’t see their facial features, apart from often a big nose. Ornaments - Looking for something with a lot of class? You can find some elegant gonk statues around. These will look stunning placed on your mantlepiece or a coffee table! Sitting - Another popular style is a sand-bag type decoration, where the gonk’s body is weighed down with sand so they can sit stably on a shelf or table, where their legs dangle freely over the side. Everybody is different when it comes to pain, but from my experience the majority of people I've tattooed say it’s less painful than a machine tattoo,' says Neutral. How long do hand-poked tattoos last? She shared some snaps of her and her best friend’s new tattoos, with the caption ‘I got this done with my friend Sarah Brundell. We love them’.

What’s a Gonk?” This question came from the rest of the What’s The Best team when I excitedly told them that I’d found a fellow Gonkaholic in TV star Stacey Solomon. I couldn’t believe no one I worked with knew what a Gonk was. For me, Gonks have been a major feature in my Christmas decorations for many years.Aftercare can't be avoided for any type of tattoo (you're putting ink into your skin here people!), so you should keep your new tattoo well moisturised with a fragrance-free, hydrating lotion, such as the Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion, avoid immersing the newly-inked area in water and keep it well away from the sun. So basically no sun, no sea, and definitely no dodgy tattoos on your hols. Lots of people tagged their best friends and encouraged them to join in and get matching gonk tattoos too. In Scandinavian folklore, they’re known as Tomte, and they protect children and homes from misfortune. Rather than using an electrically-powered machine (aka a tattoo gun), the design is applied dot by dot using a single needle to push the ink under the skin. Slower than your average tattoo, yes, but also a great technique for achieving extremely delicate designs.

The pair had their inks done on their forearms and underneath the gonk image, the best friends had the word ‘Bestie’ inked, to really commemorate their friendship. Just a couple of short years ago, she only had one style, a Bee gonk she made for a friend. Today she has more than 20 different designs and themes to select from. ……and expanding. So what is the difference between a Gonk and a Gnome? Unsurprisingly, the loud buzzing noise and look of a tattoo gun can be enough to put people off, which is where hand-poked tattoos gain an advantage. The process is a lot calmer and quieter, and generally makes the experience less uncomfortable.

The Best Gonks

Debbie shared two images of the tattoos - one of her new inking and then one of her and her best friend Sarah holding up their matching inks. Kate, popularly known as ‘The Gonk Lady’ to her customers, lovingly puts together and brings to life the Gonks, which are all custom crafted with a very specific style you will only discover here. Life Size - These creatures are always three feet in the lore at most. You can find some standing life size gonks to place around your home, and they’ll look fabulous stood either side of a door or your television.