41 Clever Christmas Nail Ideas to Wrap Yourself in Style

Give yourself the gift of style this Christmas with these on-trend holiday nail ideas.

Published November 27, 2023
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If you're looking for holiday manicure ideas perfect for unwrapping all those gifts under the tree, we have you covered. For fresh and festive style, look no further than trending Christmas nails this year.

From the cute to the elegant, these nail designs will have you looking stylish from head to mistletoe. 

Christmas French Tips Are Cute

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Upgrade your usual french tip manicure with cute Christmas prints and patterns. Red stripes, gold or silver glitter, and small holiday details help your french tips shine this Christmas.

Try Understated Christmas Nail Art

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You can include Christmas nail art for your holiday manicure and still have that understated beauty you love so much. Just keep things simple and abstract where possible and feature classic Christmas designs on short nails with one or two main colors.

Feature Classic Christmas Colors

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Red and green are a Christmas color match made in heaven for your holiday nails. Combine them as alternating colors, feature both on each nail, or let one act as the stand-out accent color. 

Pink Christmas Nails Are Posh This Season

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Pink is always in style for nail designs. With soft and muted pink nails, your Christmas manicure will feel elegant, feminine, and have that touch of unexpected color.

Quick Tip

Help your pink Christmas nails stand out by choosing a glossy top coat or adding a bit of glitter. 

Show Off Glittering Gold Nails

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Nothing quite beats the glittering gold ornaments on your Christmas tree, but your nails could be a close second. For fashionable holiday nails, you can never have too much gold. Gold glitter over white, beige, or black is especially striking.

Holly Is a Christmas Nail Must

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Rich red berries and deep green leaves make holly a lovely Christmas decoration. Feature it on your nails this holiday season for a decked-out style that's sure to turn a few heads.

Get Silent Night Style With Black Nails

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Black nails aren't just for the spooky holiday season. They also have a place among cute Christmas nail styles. A twinkling star or small sprinkling of snowflakes adds a holiday vibe to your black polish.

Santa Hat French Tips Are Adorable

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Classic French tips are always in style, but a subtle nod to Santa gives you the cute factor this Christmas. Red French tips with one or two red hat details show that you're definitely on the nice list this year.

Dark Green Is Undeniably Elegant for the Holidays

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Green might play second fiddle to red during Christmas, but the darker shades of this color make for an elegant manicure. Forest green, hunter green, and even olive green can be stunning on your nails this Christmas.

Helpful Hack

If you want a true Christmas green, look for a shade that's fairly dark and slightly cool in tone. 

Try Red Plaid Christmas Nails

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Whether it's buffalo check or a classic tartan, plaid always has a place in Christmas style. Feature the pattern on one nail or add it to all ten for an exciting Christmas look to gain you tons of compliments.

Blue Nails Stand Out for Christmas

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From Hanukkah celebrations to your office Christmas party, a shade of rich blue might be what your seasonal style needs. Cobalt blue has the perfect cool tone and fits in with the traditional rich shades of red and green seen this time of year. 

Christmas Lights Glow on Your Nails

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Rudolph's nose isn't the only thing glowing this Christmas. Shining lights on your nails is stuff of holiday dreams. Whether they actually glow or not, this nail design is too cute to pass up.

Fast Fact

To get the glowing lights for this look, your stylist will need to use glow-in-the-dark polish or dip powder on your nails.

Snowflakes Sparkle on Silver Nails

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If you're rocking trendy silver nails this Christmas, snowflakes are an easy way to give them a little upgrade. Try adding white snowflakes over silver polish or use a silver chrome polish to create snowflakes over your basecoat.

Sweater Nails Make Christmas Cozy

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Sweater-textured nails have been front and center of the manicure trends since early fall. The style isn't fizzling out anytime soon though. Feature it on your cozy Christmas nails for an on-trend look.

Add Holiday Rhinestones for Ultimate Christmas Style

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Christmas is proof that nearly everything looks better covered in something shiny. Make your something shiny a few stunning rhinestones on your nails this holiday season. You'll look as a lovely as a gift with a few glimmering stones on your fingers.

Chrome Pearl Nails Are on Trend

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Chrome nails are another ongoing trend and they won't likely lose steam anytime soon. Feature the finish over pearly white nails for a subtle Christmas mani that's equal parts trendy and elegant.

Show Off Snowy Ombre Nails

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If you're going to rock Christmas ombre nails, you'll want to stand out in the best possible way. Snow white tips fading into clear and glossy nails are a simple take on this holiday nail trend.

Candy Cane Nails Are Simply Sweet

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Candy cane nail designs aren't exactly a new thing, but they will make your manicure extra sweet this Christmas. Try small candy cane decals, striped French tips, or abstract nails inspired by the holiday sweets.

Christmas Calls for Ruby Red Nails

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Red nails are a true classic in the fashion world, but they feel even more timeless for Christmas nails. A bright and warm ruby red stuns on nails of any shape or length. 

Try Cute Christmas Cookie Nails

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Christmas means it's cookie season and your nails can tell the world how much you love the seasonal sweets. From gingerbread men to sugar cookie sprinkles, a nod to your favorite holiday cookie might be just what your fingertips need.

Girly Christmas Nails Are Stylish

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Pretty pinks and sweet little Christmas icons have all the girly vibes you love to show off throughout the year. Don't halt your signature style just because it's Christmas. Tie your ultra-girly aesthetic into your holiday nail look.

Go Ultra Glam This Christmas

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There's always room for a glam look at Christmas. Warm metals, pretty pearls, and all the gilded rhinestones you can find make your holiday manicure stand out in the best way.

Bows Make Christmas Nails Festive

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Just like the perfect gift, this nail design doesn't look complete without a bow. Add the sweet Christmas decoration to your nails in an obvious or subtle way to show off your classic and elegant style.

Rock Pink & White Nails for Christmas

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If you're looking for a soft and sweet Christmas nail style, try incorporating a blend of pink and white. You'll look dainty and darling with this holiday manicure. Who knows, you could make this the most desired Christmas color combo since green met red.

Feature Classic Christmas Icons

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If you need an easy and cute Christmas nail idea, look no further than your favorite Christmas icons. Snowflakes, holly, Santa hats, and snowmen make adorable details for your basic manicure.

Silver Chrome Christmas Nails Are Stunning

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We love a trend with staying power. The chrome nails that everyone's asking for these days work so well for Christmas and they truly stun in a shocking shade of silver. Move over silver bells: something else shiny is making waves this Christmas. 

Add Mistletoe & Holly

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If you can't quite narrow down all the Christmas icons, stick to those inspired by nature to make the decision easy. A little mistletoe or holly makes more than just the season bright. You'll be fielding compliments for days with some holiday greenery on your nails.

Red & White Nails Are Classy

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Red and green may be the traditional Christmas pairing, but they don't hold a candle to the elegance of red and white coming together. This combo has the high contrast you're looking for, but is still neutral enough to work with that Christmas outfit you've been planning on wearing for weeks.

Santa Christmas Nails Have Spirit

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If you're drawn to the cuter side of Christmas, you'll love a Santa-themed nail design. With his rosy cheeks and fluffy white beard, Santa will have everyone checking your nails twice.

Peppermint Nails Are Sweet & Simple

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Draw a little style inspiration from a classic Christmas candy. The sweet swirls of peppermint are a simple way to add some serious fun to your nails this holiday.

Quick Tip

If you don't love peppermint decals on your nails, you might like a peppermint-inspired ombre look or a French tip reminiscent of the candy. 

Ask for Cute Gingerbread Men

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Want a Christmas nail look so good you'll have to stop yourself from taking a bite? Sweet little gingerbread men let everyone know that your style leans a bit traditional but always features some unforgettable fun.

Rose Gold Works Beautifully for Christmas Nails

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If you can't decide between glistening gold or sparkling silver this Christmas, try rose gold instead. It's still on trend and brings tons of warmth to your holiday look.

Snowmen Make Cool Christmas Nails

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Even in the warmest climate, snowman nails bring the cool factor to your Christmas celebrations. Whether you're dressing up for a Christmas concert or just traveling to see family, a snowman or two on your manicure will be a festive little companion for the occasion.

Get the Frosted Christmas Nail Look

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Jump on this nail trend before everyone hears about it. Frosted nails are the base of this style, leaving you with endless options for making the look stand out for Christmas. Simple stripes, rich red designs, or elegant snowflakes look lovely against the hazy nail base.

Helpful Hack

To achieve the frosted nail look, apply a white pearl polish with a thin layer of chrome topcoat.

Feature Iconic Christmas Characters

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From the Grinch to Rudolph, Christmas movie and story characters make your Christmas nails extra fun. Plus, it adds a bit of your own personality to the look. Whether it's the Peanuts gang or a design honoring Frosty himself, this nail look is anything but boring.

Dark Red Nails Make Christmas Jolly

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You could rock the classic red nail for Christmas (and look amazing doing so), but darker shades of red bring a certain sophistication and mystery to your holiday style. Look for shades like maroon, burgundy, or merlot to bring elegant depth to your Christmas nails.

Try Neutral Christmas Nails

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You don't have to sport vibrant greens or rich reds to have a stylish Christmas fashion moment. Neutrals have their place in the holiday too. Shades like beige, gray, cream, and tan look lovely on their own or paired with one another for a creative approach.

Turn Heads With Dark Christmas Nails

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The depth of dark colors catch eyes like a clear Christmas night sky. Black, navy, dark greens, and shades of deep purple show everyone that you know how to celebrate with serious holiday style.

Choose Off White for Easy Christmas Nails

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Stark white might be your go-to in the warmer months, but the chilly vibes of Christmas call for something a bit cozier. If you're going to rock white Christmas nails, look for a slightly off-white shade to keep your manicure nice and warm.

Mix & Match Neutral Christmas Nail Designs

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If you're going to sport neutral nails this Christmas, consider mixing and matching different designs and colors. This is a festive way to add interest without compromising your usual neutral aesthetic.

Add Christmas Trees to Your Nails

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Nails are to an outfit what ornaments are to a Christmas tree. Since you're both so well decorated, you may as well honor one of the most beloved symbols of Christmas on your manicure with adorable Christmas tree decals.

Unwrap Designer Nails This Christmas

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Finish your year of successful fashion moments with a stunning Christmas style that makes everyone long to be your Secret Santa. With a festive manicure, you'll be giving everyone the gift of your presence this Christmas.

41 Clever Christmas Nail Ideas to Wrap Yourself in Style