With Christmas fast approaching, we thought it would be a good idea to do a story on Christmas tattoos. It seemed like a novel gift for the holiday. Who wouldn’t want a permanent drawing of jolly old St. Nick on their person?

“No one has ever come in asking for a Santa tattoo,” said Tanner Cadwell, a tattoo artist at ACE Tattoo.

“Now Halloween, that’s a different story. People love ghosts and goblins, but I don’t think I’ve ever done Santa or reindeer. I have done a mistletoe, but I can’t tell you where I put it,” Cadwell said.

“Dogs are a popular tattoo,” said tattoo artist Amber Leonard as she walked in with her dog Buddy. “Now and then we’ll get someone who wants a tattoo with a holiday theme, but that’s mostly Halloween, not so much Christmas.”

“I got my face tattooed when I was 22, on Christmas,” said ACE’s professional piercer Ronnie Shaw. “It took about five sessions and 40 hours to tattoo my entire face.”

The Ottos, Kara and Johan from South Africa, were getting tattoos; but it had nothing to do with Christmas. Kara wanted the Golden Girls to have a forever home on her arm while Johan got an OB tattoo.

“Why the Golden Girls, because it’s my favorite show of all time,” Kara said. “She knows every show and each episode by heart,” said husband Johan.

In addition to her favorite TV show, Kara also had a more serious memory to preserve.

“In memory of my sister Tiffany I had this tattoo of her favorite musical piece by Mozart put on my wrist and forearm,” said Kara. “Wearing this tattoo makes me feel like she is with me every day.”

ACE TATTOO

Where: 5058 Newport Ave.

Contact: 619-222-5097.