December is such a special time because there are so many holidays to enjoy. The energy in the air is bright and cherry—and you can express that energy through holiday nail looks. “A good nail color or design for the holidays can boost your mood and get you in the holiday spirit,” says manicurist Lia Smith, OPI‘s North America brand education manager. “Expressing yourself through color is like decorating your home for the holidays.” Lean into chunky glitters, fine shimmers, rich jewel tones, and festive motifs (like candy canes and snowflakes) to keep a little piece of the holiday spirit right at your fingertips.
To inspire your look, take a peek at the following 75 holiday nail ideas.
Glass Red Velvet Nails
“Classic red gets a 2024 upgrade with a jelly finish layered over silver chrome for a soft yet reflective effect,” says Aja Walton, an editorial nail artist and essie ambassador of these Santa-approved, Christmas-coded beauties. “Use essie’s Cosmic Chrome sandwiched between Bordeaux.”
Green Velvet Cutout Heart Nails
How stunning is this green velvet mani? Where the classic Christmas color reminds us of the the season as a whole, the negative-space hearts bring images of cutout cookies and warm feeling of time spent with loved ones to mind.
Blush Nails
“This look is so neutral—if you want something simple but not boring, this look is perfect for you,” Boyce says, noting that you can get it with the Lost Angels Beauty Angel Energy Press-Ons. We especially like it for the holidays because it reminds us of a rosy, snow-flushed complexion.
Icy Arctic Circle Velvet Nails
You can’t go wrong with velvet nails for the holidays. “The magnetic polish gives them that soft, textured shimmer that catches the light beautifully,” Hanna says. “Whether you go for deep winter shades or brighter metallics, this look always feels luxe and fresh.”
Cold Spell
Kara Brown
“Cold Spell is the perfect holiday nail look with a neutral base and silver French tip, complementing every holiday outfit and just the right amount of sparkle,” says manicurist and Paintbox creative director Mabelyn Alva. “We love how understated yet eye-catching this nail design is for the holiday season.”
Chrome French
“You can never go wrong with the chrome French tip,” Boyce says. “If a full chrome nail is too much for you, I highly suggest trying this. If done properly there’s just no way to not be obsessed.”
Black French
This Black French tip design is accented with a thin silver outline that makes it perfect for New Year’s Eve. It’s sleek yet celebratory.
Molten Lava
Manicurist Julie Kandalec created this molten lava nail look for Zoe Saldana’s winter 2022 cover of InStyle using polishes from OPI.
Peek-a-Boo Candy
Featuring gel-X tips, this design takes advantage of the underside of the nails, with little surprise peppermints.
Tartan Gingerbread Nails
“I love the charm of gingerbread and cookie-inspired designs,” Walton says. Here, nail artist Tyler Macias went with a classic tartan plaid design layered with bold 3D gingerbread charms and lipstick-shaped accent nails.
Creamy Neutrals
“Soft neutrals like creamy beige and muted pink are timeless because they go with everything,” says Mazz Hanna, a manicurist and the CEO of Nailing Hollywood, an agency that represents the top talent in the nail industry. “These shades suit clean and minimal looks just as well as layered nail art, which makes them an easy choice for anyone who wants versatile and polished nails.” When picking your shade, opt for slightly warmer undertones for a cozy, creamy aesthetic.
Emerald Velvet Nails
“Emerald green with a silver metallic finish exudes wealth and decadence,” Walton says. “I love that this deep color combo is such a statement that it beautifully reflects the festive spirit. To get this look, use two coats of essie’s Off Tropic and layer Cosmic Chrome over the top.”
Fuzzy Striped Sweater Nails
“The soft rainbow hues created with an airbrush-like technique blend seamlessly for a dreamy, gradient effect,” Walton says. “It’s colorful without being overpowering, making it perfect for when you want a pop of color in the winter with a gentle touch.” Her suggestion for achieving the look at home? “Use essie’s jelly gloss colors from the nail art studio line to layer stripes across the nail,” she says. “Use a liner brush or makeup sponge to get that airbrush look.”
Stamped Glitter
Kara Brown
“This is a Hanukkah look in cool blues like using a stamping plate design with glitter,” says Smith.
Nutcracker
This nutcracker nail design is seriously impressive. Each nail features a different part of the nutcracker so each detail is large enough to really be seen and appreciated.
Gingerbread French Tips
“Gingerbread nails bring back cozy memories of baking during the holidays,” Walton says, expanding on her love of the holiday nail art idea. “Use essie’s expressie Cold Brew Crew and blanc to achieve the perfect gingerbread color combo.”
Navy Chrome
Chrome accents pop against this super deep shade of navy. It’s so dark it nearly looks black.
Pink and Red Holly Holiday Nails
For a cutesy holiday nail look, Walton suggests using a retro twist on traditional holiday colors. “Add holiday wrapping paper motifs like holly berries, bells, and ribbons to add chic nostalgia,” she says.
Intricate Layered Nail Art
For a dreamy holiday nail look that’s not as themed, opt for a layered look. “Layered nail art that mixes different textures, colors, patterns, and finishes to create depth and dimension is expected to stay popular into 2025,” Hanna says. “It’s a trend that brings a luxurious feel and endless ways to get creative with your nails.”
Jelly Plaid Nails
“This rainbow jelly twist to traditional plaid nails gives a nod to cozy flannel outfits,” Walton says. “I love that it’s both festive and modern. Use essie’s jelly gloss colors from the nail art studio line to layer lines across the nail.”
Glitter-Dipped Micro Tips
We love how dainty this glitter-tipped rose quartz manicure is. While it could work anytime of year, Hanna likes it for the holidays, as it’s classic, refined, and a touch glam.
Monotone Nail Art
Take your blush nails up a notch with trendy cyber-inspired nail art in coordinating festive shades. “Using a color palette based on one color of multiple variations always looks cool,” Boyce says.
Mocha Mousse Nails
“Pantone’s 2025 shade of the year, Mocha Mousse, is the neutral to watch [this holiday season and heading into] 2025,” Hanna says. “It’s a creamy, warm-brown tone that feels modern yet understated. It works beautifully for both clean, minimal looks and layered nail art. It’s especially stunning on short, rounded nails, where the soft color pairs beautifully with the natural shape.”
Studded French
For Bad Santa vibes, opt for a ruby-red studded French manicure. “Adding studs to a simple French really gives extra in a good way,” Boyce says.
Icy Sheer Chrome French
“I love a white French with a sheer chrome overlay,” Boyce says. “This look is great for the holidays if you want something classy but still cool.”
Short Round Plum Nails
Plum nails are trending for the end of 2024 and into 2025. “Short, rounded nails painted in dark shades are a perfect blend of bold and polished,” Hanna says. “Darker tones are rich and sophisticated, so this trend is ideal for anyone who wants a polished look without long extensions.”
Tinsel-Tipped Nails
“A chrome base with tips that look like sparkling tinsel brings a festive vibe without overwhelming the design,” Walton says. “A gradient of silver glitter starting at the tips adds just the right amount of sparkle and pairs well with any holiday outfit.”
Vintage Christmas Nails
Here’s further proof that retro pink-and-red Christmas color palettes make for seriously precious holiday nails. The bows! The holly! The pearls! The gingerbread man! So. Stinkin. Cute.
Abstract Grinchy Green Nails
“Metallic nails will continue to trend into 2025 because they add just the right amount of edge to any look,” Hanna says. “Whether it’s chrome tips, foil details, or full metallic finishes, these designs always feel bold and modern.”
Dark Aura Nails
“I love aura nails in so many different color variations but there’s just something about a dark aura nail that’s just a vibe,” says Boyce, who is also an Aprés ambassador. “I use the Aprés Airbrush Machine to create the perfect aura.”
Winter Forest Nails
“Nude nails with shimmer pine tree silhouettes and 3D accents are an earthy, sophisticated option,” Walton says.
Ornaments
Dive deep into holiday jewel tones with this manicure that features ornament stickers from Deco Miami.
Marble Stream
A rich blue is the star of this Hanukkah nail look. Some nails get a solid coat of blue while others feature a marbled stream of white, blue, and silver running down the middle.
Glitter, Of Course
Go nuts with glitter and do a two-toned gradient. The silver glitter at the tip of the nail fades to a copper shade at the base.
Holiday Blues
This blue look features a dusty blue in a few different ways—solid, topped with glitter, and glittery nail tip.
NYE Color Blocking
This New Year’s Eve nail design half-moon look splits the nail into four sections, using white, gold, silver, and black in varying patterns.
Malaga Wine
Kara Brown
Deep red polishes and gold flakes “were used for a wintery look that is warm and toasty,” says Smith.
Red Cross
Red tips get a festive update with a jeweled cross and small crystals. Because the design is on a long nail, you really get to appreciate the color of the nail and the intricacy of the cross.
Metal Accents
This deep navy design features silver and gold accents that mimic the shape of the nail. It’s sleek and gorgeous.
Simple and Classic
Lisa Smith
A milky white is the perfect base for this deign that uses a few gold lines for a geometric design.
Diamond Crush
This stunning shade of navy screams winter. A silver gradient glitter gives it a festive upgrade.
Serendipity
A free layers of a shimmery blue is all you need for this iridescent, holiday-ready nail look.
Grinch Green
Embody the Grinch with these angular green tip nails. The tip design is a triangle instead of round and the nail shape is square, creating a ton of sharp lines.
Gold Foil Foliage
Super pretty sprigs of evergreen and red berries are accented with gold foil to give this nail look a regal finish.
Water Colors
This navy nail design features a watercolor effect on a few nails. Paired with gold leaf, it looks like a blue agate crystal.
Pink Christmas
If you love a pink nail no matter the season, do a Christmas look atop an opaque baby-pink base. This one features holly berries and white shimmer.
Holly Robins
Featuring a white base, this nail design details holly berries and robins with black outlines for a hand-sketched effect.
Bow Tie Reindeer
This cute design features a very formal reindeer sporting a polka dot bowtie along with holly berries and sprigs of green.
Jewel Tones
Cranberry, lilac, and deep purple swirls serve as the base of this matte look. It features gold chrome Christmas trees and stars.
Blue Galaxy
Go for a galactic look with this design. It has a shimmery shade of blue that trickles down a nude sheer base. Then, it features white moons and stars to seal in the intergalactic vibes.
Wrapping Paper
This design, featuring ornaments, Christmas trees, Santa, and more, looks like a scene straight off a roll of wrapping paper.
Glitter Snow
Glitter acts as snow in this winter wonderland design. The glitter collects at the tip of this design and is the base of little floating designs of snowmen, reindeer, and more.
Classics
This nail look also embodies wrapping paper vibes, with a black and white grid design and a navy base with snowy trees.
Santa’s Reindeer
Red and white anchor this Christmas design that features Santa hats, reindeer, stars, and Christmas trees. Plus, it has lots of shimmer.
Santa and Rudolph
This silly little design showcases Santa and Rudolph along with snow on a red background.
Mixed Finishes
Glossy and matte top coats take this plain blue design up a notch. It’s extremely simple yet impactful.
Mix ‘n Match
Red and white candy stripes, gold glitter, deep green, and multi-colored lights make up this festive design.
Present Time
Each nail in this design gets transformed into a glittery present in shades of purple, blue, green gold, and pink.
Glitz Blitz
Bask in glitter with this silver-and-black nail tip design. It’s on a milky white base to make the look super wintery.
All Glitter Everything
Purple and red glitter polishes were used to create this design. It features stars, stripes, and Christmas trees on a white base.
Candy Cane Micro French
This micro-tip clear nail design features a really dainty candy cane stripe and holly berries. It’s incredibly simple but super fun.
Polka Dot Rudolph
This sweet design features a beige base with white and gold polka dots. Rudolph makes a surprise appearance on one nail.
Seeing Stars
Dark as the night sky, this deep navy blue is the perfect complement to a single-starry design. It has a nude, sheer base with a shimmery blue gradient and white stars.
Christmas Characters
With a glittery green base, this adorable design showcases little Christmas designs on each nail, like Santa, candy canes, and more.
Dainty Dots
Polkadots are a great option when you want a little interest with minimal effort. This design features blue and white mini dots on a nude, sheer base flanked by blue solid nails.
Plaid & Sparkle
Red, black, white, and sparkles are the elements that make up this design. It features plaid, bows, snowflakes, and crystals.
NYE
Nothing says glamour like gold, so use it to breathe some life into a simple black-and-white design to ring in the new year.
Blue French
Perfect for a simple Hanukkah mani, this look features a milky nude base and a thin blue French tip.
Gold Drip
With colors like gold and white, you can go for an intricate look that isn’t super loud, like this abstract design.
Blue & Silver
Elevate a simple blue manicure with chunky glitter to get your nails holiday-ready. The shade of blue used for this look is super vibrant, keeping the vibe super festive.
Rose Gold
Although we typically lean into silver and gold for holiday metallics, rose gold can give a similar celebratory effect. This design features a rose gold chrome alongside a soft pale pink.
Stripes
Stripes are a super easy way to achieve a fun and festive holiday manicure. This look features deep blue, light blue, and gold glitter.
Christmas Trees
Teeny tiny Christmas trees are the focus of this nail look. To keep things uncomplicated, the trees are only on one nail per hand and the other nails have a glittery coat of deep green.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
