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 In Scandinavian folklore, they’re known as Tomte, and they protect children and homes from misfortune. 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’. 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.

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! 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? While decorating your home with gonks is a way to share your affection for the collectable item, two best friends, Debbie and Sarah got permanent, matching tattoos of the unique figurines. 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?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. 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. 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.

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. 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? 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.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.