It’s cold and getting colder, the days are shorter and the sun keeps hiding behind gray skies.

And even when the sun is shining, it’s not that bright.

At least not bright enough to keep that summer skin from fading to winter white.

So, people in Owen County trying to keep their tan nice and even when they celebrate with friends and family during the holiday season, or people in need of some color for an upcoming vacation, are heading inside to get a tan.

“A lot of people just want a little bit of color for the holidays,” said Debbie Sigretto, owner of Touch of Polish.

Sigretto said fall and spring are her busiest times for tanning, with sales dropping off during the winter.

But even the prospect of a long cold winter doesn’t keep people from shopping for presents at a tanning salon or getting a tan before heading off to sunnier locations.

“We sell a lot of gift certificates for people going on vacation in the spring,” Sigretto said. “Or if they’re planning a winter trip and just want to make (the tan) even so they don’t burn.”

Gifts certificates are also popular at Croxton’s Video and Tanning Salon.

“I think it’s an easy gift and a good gift,” said employee Marlene Holder.

While a variety of gift certificates are sold at the store, she said the most popular is 12 visits for $35, which makes for a nice little stocking stuffer or something left under the tree.

With the weather getting colder, Holder said business has been steady.

“Our tanning has stayed busy the whole winter,” she said.

And with temperatures dipping and snow beginning to fall, it’s not a bad way to get out of the cold.

“It’s relaxing. It’s really relaxing,” Holder said. “Some people come in saying, ‘I just want to warm up.’”

And keeping warm this winter is a top priority.

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