The holidays are here and that means that we will find all sorts of different ways to show just how festive and jolly we really are. After you decorate your Christmas tree, wrap your gifts, and make your house look both merry and cozy, what’s next? Your nails, of course. What better way to have a bit of the holidays with you everywhere you go, than with a fabulous, seasonal manicure?
We looked through the endless number of holiday nails on Instagram to curate a list of 30 fabulous, stylish, and of course festive nail designs. Take your fave(s) to your nail tech, or use these options as inspiration for a totally new idea. Either way, you’ll be set for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and/or any other December gatherings.
Christmas Season Nails
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These spiky and sparkly nails are all about the holiday season. You have the festive bright red hue, snowflakes, glitter, and candy cane stripes. Strategically-placed crystals further the celebratory mood of these uñas.
Candy Cane Nails
Candy canes are such an instantly recognizable and joyous symbol of the holidays, which makes them perfect for some fun holiday nails. These cute red nails feature candy cane stripes on the ring fingers, as well as a candy cane print on a mint green background.
African Tribal-Print Kwanzaa Nails
Kwanzaa is a celebration that honors African heritage. These fabulous nails were created just for it, and feature several African tribal-print nails, animal print nails, and one nail covered in crystals for some extra shine. It’s such ornate work, that you are inspired to stop and admire the detail!
Black with Silver Foliage
These striking holiday nails are a good reminder that holiday-inspired nails don’t have to always be red and green, or feature obvious designs and patterns, like snowflakes and plaid. These dope uñas are black, with glittery holographic, slightly wintery foliage. They’re a breath of fresh air and a totally neutral, goes-with-everything way to partake in end of year festivities.
Hanukkah Nails
Blue is one of the main colors of the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah, so it’s a fitting background color on these Hanukkah-themed nails. Eight uñas were then painted on with a candle, representing the eight candles on the Hanukkah, one lit on each day of the celebration. A Star of David on the thumbs completes the Jewish look.
Sweater Weather Nails
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Winter is prime sweater weather, so naturally, you will see a bunch of nails inspired by these comfy, cozy clothing pieces. These nails feature that cool 3-D cable knit sweater pattern, as well as winter plaid, and a nail that has faux water droplets on it! And, instead of obvious holiday colors, these nails are in a soft, cozy, winter-perfect lavender.
Christmas Tree Nails
Christmas trees are a major symbol of the holidays and a natural choice for X-mas-themed nails. But instead of putting an entire tree on your uña, you can try this more demure, and cooler option. Here, the tree branches form a seasonal French manicure on the nail, and of course, there are festive lights to complete the look.
Geometric Kwanzaa Nails
Another Kwanzaa-themed nail design we loved is this one. It features African-inspired geometric shapes, the use of negative space, marbling, pops of the Kwanzaa colors (black, red, and green), and of course, that sparkly holiday glitter.
Christmas Night Nails
There are so many different places where you can look for inspiration when it comes to holiday nails. These dark, moody, and luxe nails take their cue from the midnight blue night sky and its twinkling stars. It’s a great way to do Christmas/holiday uñas in an unexpected, more unique way.
Subdued Snowflakes and Stripes
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These nails include the fun details many love to use as part of their holiday nails, but with a much more neutral palette. You have the candy cane stripes, and the pretty, detailed snowflakes surrounded by snow, but the colors are a more subdued, darker green, white, and charcoal grey.
Holiday Friends
How adorable are these holiday nails?! You have some cute animal friends, in the form of 3-D bears, a snowman, and a bunny, made to look plush with the assistance of warm and fuzzy, neutral colors. The delicate gold chain adds some luxe and additional interest.
Festive Glitter
One of the biggest part of holiday nails is the major use of glitter. It’s festive, fancy, and looks so pretty. These nails would look great any day of the year, but are given the seasonal treatment with the addition of an ornament and a Christmas tree, using the same rose gold glitter color used on the rest of the nails, and accented with white.
Cutesy Let It Snow Nails
These nails are so cute and different. The color scheme and graphics are very vintage, and give off an old-school wholesome vibe. The snowmen are sweet, without being too much, and the 3-D sweater-inspired nail anchors the whole wintery look.
Minnie Holiday Nails
For the most part, holiday nails are for having fun, being lighthearted, and trying out festive looks. And what is more fun and festive than red and white nails featuring a Santa-garb-clad Minnie Mouse? The artwork is perfection, and the detail intricate and on point. The 3-D sweater pattern even features mouse ears!
Snowflakes and Icicles
These nails are so icy–literally! They look like sharp icicles, down to their cloudy, marbled look and pointy shape. White textured patterns, including a snowflake shape, are added on top, and iridescent crystals add a third layer, and finishing touch, to the mesmerizing look.
Holiday Sweets
The holidays are a time of the year where we love to indulge in cookies, chocolates, and other sweets. These nails pay homage to this feeling in the cutest way possible. You have a clever chocolate drip pattern, a gingerbread man who’s not too happy to have been bitten, and a 3-D candy cane. Festive red and white, and neutral “nude” help to anchor the fun look.
Red French and Sugared Snowflakes
These long, coffin/ballerina-shaped holiday uñas are so balanced. You have a red, V-shaped French manicure, and super-detailed white snowflakes adding a wonderful punch of holiday spirit. But, they are anchored by all the “nude”-color you see on the rest of the nail. It’s a perfect balance to keep the seasonal idea from looking extra.
Buffalo Plaid and Foliage
Red and black buffalo plaid (as well as black and white) is such an indicator that winter, and the holiday season, is here. These nails capture the lumberjack style perfectly, even adding a bit of the forest on the nail in the form of cute little branches. They’re also a perfect example of not having to have long, acrylic nails in order to accommodate a dope design idea.
Gold Glitter Nails
You don’t have to be literal with your holiday nails or include symbols of the season. Just dialing up the sparkle, glitter, and shine can do the trick. These nails are so festive and fun, making them perfect for celebrating. In fact, you can use rock this style straight into the equally-celebratory New Year!
Bamdolph Nails
Two adorable holiday icons are melded into one as part of this nail look. Disney’s Bambi becomes Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and the result is so cute, and flawlessly done. Bamdolph’s nose is the only pop of color in this otherwise neutral copper/bronze and white seasonal look.
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas Nails
When you go for a theme, especially a festive seasonal one, it’s often going big or go home. These nails went for an idea and went all out in the process. The verdant uñas are inspired by The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and feature him and his signature color.
Red and Green Glitter, and Mistletoe Nails
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Seasonal manicures can be made a bit more subdued and neutral if you just darken the colors a bit; these nails are a perfect example of this. You get the Christmas-y red and green, but it’s darker than what we normally would associate with the holiday. Sparkling metallic glitter is layered on top, and a jolly nail festooned with pretty mistletoe and small polka dots.
Neutral Candy Cane Nails
Just a little detail is enough to make your manicure end-of-the-year, holiday-ready, and you don’t need to include any traditional colors either. This adorable mani is in the very neutral “nude” hue, but is made festive with some fun, white candy cane stripes.
Holiday Sweater Nails
Cozy sweaters are just an undeniable part of the holiday season, and an adorable aesthetic to add to your end-of-the-year nails. These red and white uñas feature a 3-D, textured cable knit pattern, as well as a festive, almost Norweigan selburose print with snowflakes that is December-perfect.
Pretty Pink Glitter and Ornament Nails
These pretty pink nails could be rocked any day of the year. But the addition of an adorable, glittery ornament lets you know that this look is meant for the holiday season. You can try this idea out with your favorite color, knowing it will totally work and look great.
Frozen Olaf Nails
These nails use the film Frozen as inspiration for a chilly yet cute holiday look. Baby blue and white is the color scheme, and it is decorated with sweater detail, other 3-D artwork, snowflakes, and crystals. Literally chillin’ on one uña is Olaf, the snowman from the animated blockbuster.
Plaid Gift Wrap Nails
Another cute and stylish idea for your holiday nails is to mimic your favorite style of gift wrap. Plaid is always a classic, chic option, but there are so many options! Have fun with it, as you should with any season nail look.
Golden Luxe Nails
Gold is such a regal, celebratory color, and when paired with winter white, it makes for a luxe holiday color palette. These nails are so over the top, but in the best way possible–you have snowflakes, negative space, crystals, 3-D sweater details, gold studs, and other cool features, making for some majorly mesmerizing uñas.
Gothy Santa Nails
These holiday nails clearly depict Santa Claus flying across the night sky with his reindeer, but they feature such a cool, dark color palette (highlighted with striking white) that it’s throwing off gothy and werewolf-like vibes! They’re a perfect example that holiday nails can be done flawlessly in so many different, out-of-the-box ways.
Happy Feet Nails
The final uñas on this list have the same light blue and white, snowy color palette that we saw in the Frozen nails, but the cute character depicted on the ring nails is from the movie Happy Feet. The snowflakes, crystals, and glittery snow-like touches make these nails look like they’ve emerged from the Arctic, just in time for the holidays.
