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? 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.

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. In Scandinavian folklore, they’re known as Tomte, and they protect children and homes from misfortune. 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. 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.Our Farmhouse Gonks, Seasonal Gonks and Themed Gonks are carefully handcrafted and sent from a small garden workshop in Norwich, Norfolk to their new homes. Tree Decorations - Threaded with a string, they’ll look wonderfully whimsical hanging from a branch on your Christmas tree, where they can watch over the presents until the big day. The Scandinavian novelty creatures have become a staple Christmas decoration in recent years and are clearly here to stay, but while many people will decorate their homes with gonks, it appears that two gonk-obsessed friends have gone one step further.

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. Lots of people tagged their best friends and encouraged them to join in and get matching gonk tattoos too.

You can buy them to decorate your Christmas tree, to sit on shelves, windowsills and fireplaces, you can even buy Gonk-themed bedsheets. Often the decorative Gonks have wire inside their hats, meaning you can pose them. The blonde-haired beauty was so pleased with her unique inking that she has even made it her profile picture on the social media platform. An old Nordic tradition involves leaving out a bowl of porridge during the winter solstice so that the gonk may feast and join in the festivities. As Christmas became more prominent across Scandinavia, these stories and traditions stayed with the people, and gonks eventually came to be paired with Christmas. A Gonk is For Life, Not Just for Christmas