Alison Piepmeyer

My friend Alison just got a surprising tattoo…

shrimp cocktail tattoo

A bowl of shrimp cocktail.

When my dad died in 2022, I wanted to get a tattoo to celebrate him,” she explained. At first, she considered getting his signature, or maybe a stop watch because he always had one on him. But when she saw the shrimp cocktail, she knew it was perfect.

“My dad was obsessed with shrimp,” she said. “If it was on the menu, he would order it. Anytime we went to a buffet, that’s all he’d eat: his plate would be a plate of shrimp. Shrimp cocktail, popcorn shrimp, coconut shrimp… the man loved shrimp.”

Werner and Alison

Alison and her dad, Werner

“People ask me about my tattoo all the time, so I get to talk about my dad, which feels good,” Alison says. “Now I’ve been thinking about what tattoos I’d get for other people I love — it’s a fun exercise. I even ask the question at parties! People come up with really funny answers.”

What about you? What tattoo would you get to celebrate a loved one? Here’s Alison’s Instagram and newsletter, if you’d like to follow her. xoxo

P.S. 12 readers share their meaningful tattoos, and The Dead Dad Club.