Merry Manis

49 Festive Christmas Nail Art Designs to Get You Into the Holiday Spirit

These very merry manicure ideas bring the holiday season straight to your fingertips.
49 Festive Christmas Nail Art Ideas 2020 Easy Holiday Nail Designs
Betina Goldstein/Michelle Lee

Everyone has a different way of celebrating the holidays. Some go full-throttle, wearing a different "ugly" Christmas sweater for every day of December, decking their halls (and the entire exterior of their homes) with more lights than Paris, and practicing for a perfect cork-pop on New Year's Eve. Others prefer a more subtle approach, hardly dabbling in the traditional red-and-green shades of the season, preferring hints of sparkle over in-your-face festiveness. The same goes for Christmas manicures. 

If you're picturing your nails covered in three-dimensional merry motifs — perhaps a cotton-bearded Santa and all of his reindeer, complete with pointy antlers and working light-up nose for Rudolph — don't hold back. Prefer a simple coat of silver that will take you through to 2021? Your polish options are endless.

There's really no wrong way to get your nails ready for the holidays, but if you're having a hard time deciding on what manicure to get in these jovial last couple weeks of the year, we've rounded up some of our favorites. Find inspiration in Instagram's greatest nail artists, Fashion Week fabulousness, our very own editor in chief Michelle Lee's lovely hands, and more. You'll find the perfect holiday mani that's right for your particular level of spirit.

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  • Michelle Lee's hand featuring a goldtip manicure and gold rings
    Instagram/Michelle Lee
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    Asymmetrical Twinkling Tips

    Allure editor in chief Michelle Lee's glittery gold manicure would look holiday-ready with or without her fabulous matching baubles. She used Paint Box Nail Lacquer in Like Gilded to top off her otherwise nude nails with glitzy asymmetrical tips that dip down to one side. It's fresh, modern, glamorous, and — best of all — easy.

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    Wrapping Paper Pretty

    Nail artist Betina Goldstein calls this manicure "red ribbons," but we think it more closely resembles pretty windowpane-plaid wrapping paper you'd find covering a holiday gift. She created the crisscrossing design on two nails with Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in Ballerina as the base and Essie's Bubbles Only for the stripes, carrying that burgundy shade over to the other nails for a simple, solid finish. Truly a gift to yourself.

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    Dashing Through the Gems

    Little metallic dashes — OPI's Tinsel, Tinsel Lil Star and This Gold Sleighs Me — are accompanied by sporadic, glued-on gems for an easy yet eye-catching manicure that feels indubitably festive. The black base —OPI's Black Onyx — makes the shimmer stand out even more that it already would and gives it a formal feel.

  • Courtesy of Betina Goldstein
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    Superstars

    Prefer your stars painted on? Try this manicure by Betina Goldstein. She used Lauren B. Beauty's gorgeously glittery 33 Carats polish to paint stars on her bare nails, defining them with the brand's black Paparazzi polish.

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    Green Tortoiseshell

    Tortoiseshell nails have been having a capital-M Moment, and they're made holiday-perfect by simply switching up the usual color scheme of browns and yellows to one focused on greens, like this manicure by nail artist Savannah Walker.

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    Sparkly Mint French Manicure

    Seen on the runway during Christian Siriano's Spring 2020 New York Fashion Week show, these nails are perhaps the most holiday-ready take on the French manicure resurgence. The light green tips (Essie's Turquoise & Caicos) pick up on the minty vibes of the season, while the sparkly silver flecks (Essie's Set in Stones) feel like snowfall.

  • Courtesy of Betina Goldstein
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    Snowball Pearls

    No polish is required for this elegant nail art idea by Betina Goldstein. Glued-on faux pearls in two rows down the center of each nail are reminiscent of snowballs ready to be thrown at family members visiting for the holidays.

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    Shimmering Champagne

    There's plenty of champagne to be enjoyed around the holidays, so let that extend to your fingertips with this simple yet stunning frosty manicure created with OPI's Many Celebrations to Go to from the brand's Hello Kitty collection.

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    Snowy Pine

    Another shade that looks super-festive when it's especially shimmery: green, of course. This KB Shimmer nail polish shade, Vested Interest, is a multichrome color pack with holographic flakes that will remind you of snow glistening on evergreen trees.

  • Courtesy of Michelle Lee
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    Buffalo Plaid

    Allure editor chief Michelle Lee's red and black buffalo plaid manicure will make you want to throw on some flannel and chop down your own Christmas tree.

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    Dark Green Details

    New York City-based manicurist Marilyn Garcia gave her client a sophisticated spin on wintry dark green with striped tips and a pretty, pale base.

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    Abstract Strokes

    Artsy swipes of red, green, gold and black really stand out on the white base painted by New Orleans' M.A.D. Nails.

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    Gems Galore

    Who says a manicure requires nail polish? Naomi Yasuda attached crystals of different shapes and sizes to Tina Leung's long, uncolored nails, adding glamour to literally everything she'll do with her hands.

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    Peppermint

    Manicurist Mar y Sol Inzerillo is responsible for our latest holiday nail obsession: this red-and-white-striped candy cane imitation she posted to Instagram with the caption, "🤤❣️❌⭕️❣️🤶🏻🎅🏻🎄🎁 Candy cane peppermint patty #nails are always a good idea! Don't you agree?" Of course we do.

  • courtesy of instagram/@nailsbyregina
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    Holographic Glitter

    This mesmerizing manicure by Hamptons-based nail artist Regina Rodriguez is all you need to accessorize any basic black and white party look. The shimmering rainbow hues will catch the light wherever you walk, so people are bound to be asking you about your digits all night.

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    Christmas Criss-Cross

    The nail artist known as @fresh.claws on Instagram made this gorgeous holiday look come to life with different colored jewels and metallic accent, which gave the finished look a whimsical "Christmas lights" effect.

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    Winter Details

    Nail artist Katie Masters took Christmas cuteness to new levels with this nail look, which consisted of tiny bird-inspired Santas and dainty holiday trinkets, like cranberries and hanging ornaments.

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    Starry Night

    Inspired by the night sky, Natalie Minerva of @nail_swag on Instagram created this magical star and moon-studded masterpiece, which stood out beautifully against the pale, shimmering ivory base shade.

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    Burgundy Base

    We adore the contrast of the deep, moody merlot base color paired with silver and gold crystals — the perfect design for completing any holiday party ensemble this season.

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    A Martini, Please?

    Holiday nail inspo courtesy of Blake Lively's digits. The same Elle of @enamelle on Instagram gave the A Simple Favor star a basecoat of glittery black polish before crafting an adorable mini martini glass for Lively's ring finger.

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    Winter Wonderland

    To re-create these majestic, winter snowstorm-themed nails, you'll need crystals from your local craft store, a tiny detail tool to make your snowflake, and various shades of white, creamy ivory, pale pink, and blue.

  • courtesy of instagram/@nailee_yj
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    Sparkle Sensation

    We can't get over this ornate creation by nailee_yj, which used tiny pearl, crystal, and sequined appliques to form Christmas trees.

  • courtesy of instagram/@beautifile_
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    Glitter Galore

    An organized cluster of sequins, diamond studs, and stars made for the most epic festive mani on Glossier founder, Emily Weiss, which was created by nail extraordinaire Naomi Yasuda.

  • courtesy of Instagram/@nailsby_misa
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    A Hint o' Bronze

    These geometric, sequin-emblazoned nails are the work of nail technician Damisa Ramdin, who used shimmering bronze and ivory accents against the baby-pink base shade for a festive finish.

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    Retro Shapes

    Portland nail artist Sarah Kane put a retro spin on this manicure, featuring shapes that look straight out of the intro to a 1960s Christmas TV special. The matte finish on a nude base gives the fun design a more subtle look.

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    Glittery Green

    It's simple yet super festive: Los Angeles nail artist Glennis McCarthy coated her client's nails in what she calls a "green glitter bomb" as a glamorous way to celebrate with a single color.

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    Minty Tips

    Seen backstage at New York Fashion Week, these low-key jolly nails take the traditional white tips of a French manicure and add a cool swipe of mint green. It's a perfect holiday manicure for minimalists.

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    Seasonal Symbols

    There's so much to celebrate about these nails. Florida-based nail artist Devin Strebler incorporated multiple themes into this manicure, from a cable-knit texture in royal blue to a red gift bow to an incredibly detailed nutcracker. Shimmering gold details and Swarovski crystals make it especially festive.

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    Artful Ornaments

    Kane combines the subtlety of glossy, nude nails with eye-catching colors by dotting shimmering circles on her clients nails to create the look of ornaments. They're "strung together" with delicately painted, curving black lines.

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    Snowy Silver

    Spotted backstage at New York Fashion Week, this silver manicure gets a wintry upgrade with snow-like dots scattered not only on the nails, but on one of the fingers as well.

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    Golden Arches

    Prefer gold over silver? Try a look like this one sported by Allure editor in chief Michelle Lee. "I’m not opposed to Santa or snow globe nails but if you don’t wanna get that wild, I love a metallic on negative space or a neutral base," she says of her manicure on Instagram.

Keywordsnail artManicuresmanicureHolidayholidaysChristmasnew year's evenail artistSavannah Walkermiss popmichelle leemetallic nailsfrench manicureholiday nail ideasholiday nail polish