There should never be a quiet time for a tattooist, but if there was ever a time to get the supplies in, the Christmas and New Year period is one of them.

This might not seem an obvious thing to say. After all, it may be reasoned that with winter almost upon us, people will be covering up more because of the cold, with many folk far more interested in showing off their Christmas jumpers than new tattoos. At the same time, with just a few busy weekends of festive shopping to go, some may be short of time.

However, while that might be true for some people, there will be others for whom the idea of getting a festive-themed tattoo is an enticing one.

There are certainly lots of possibilities out there. Tattoodesign.com recently published some popular ideas.

These included a Christmas Tree, Father Christmas, a black cat covered in Christmas lights, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Baubles and Snowmen – including one of Olaf the Snowman from Frozen and the eponymous character from The Snowman animated film. Perhaps Aled Jones will go for one of those.

One of the designs even featured the Grinch, although his red hat and coat suggested he wasn’t about to steal Christmas. But that does act as a reminder that while some people might want a festive tattoo, there may be someone not so keen on the whole thing who will seek an image of Ebenezer Scrooge instead.

Other ideas included a Pokemon, a ghost and even two of the characters from the film Home Alone.

This doesn’t mean everyone who likes a tattoo is necessarily desperate to get one to mark the festive season. But there may be some who do.

Indeed, there may be an upsurge in body art in the New Year as well, this time because tattoos have been given as Christmas presents.

The idea was suggested by Vivid Ink just before Christmas 2020, which was somewhat ironic given that social distancing meant even getting to the parlour was a tricky thing for some to do, while anyone wanting a look might have to do so via Zoom.

On the other hand, as these are permanent, such a gift would be there to admire once everyone was reunited again. The article also suggested it was environmentally friendly as an alternative to all the tat made from non-biodegradable materials that some would give.

Giving someone who loves tattoos vouchers to have a session under the needle may indeed prove a very popular present and one that some people will love to receive. This will mean they will soon get busy booking their post-Christmas appointment at the tattoo parlour.

You may even find there are some folk who, tired of New Year resolutions they won’t keep about giving up cream cakes, joining a gym, or learning a new language, decide to go down a simpler and more fun route by getting a tattoo instead.

Alternatively, some might promise to get one if they fail to keep a resolution. Based on recent research, that would be three-quarters of those who make a resolution.

For all these reasons, you may find Christmas and New Year to be busier times than you expected.