Christmas is here! There are countless ways to get into the holiday spirit, including decorating your Christmas tree (maybe even multiple trees!) and watching some of the best Christmas movies on repeat. Another way to bring on the glitz, glitter, and glam of the holidays is with some super sparkly Christmas nail art ideas for short nails and long nails, too. Just think, every time you look down at your hands with festive and fun designs—instant holiday joy! Raise that well-manicured hand if you’re in! 🙋🏽♀️
So let's talk facts. It's a real struggle for many of us to keep even a clear coat of polish on our nails. And the idea of painting nails with cute Christmas nail art ideas? Forget it! For those in the "I don't have time for this" camp, we've included easy Christmas nail art ideas that you can replicate in a snap (think glitter nail polish over a trending seasonal shade). For the adventurous type, we’ve included professional-level designs—we're talking tiny Christmas trees, reindeer, and tiny snowmen. We've added helpful tips (let polish dry fully between steps!), nail stickers you can buy for instant gratification, and links to products that will help you pull off DIY Christmas nail art ideas, too.
No matter your comfort level, there's something here to help you elevate your holiday nail game. So stock up on all the best winter nail colors, and try your hand with some of these sassy and simple Christmas nail art ideas.
1
Holiday Lights Christmas Nail Art
Just the cutest! Start with a neutral base coat, then draw in black "cords" (we love how these have wavy loops). Apply teardrop-shaped or round nail gems in a variety of colors as "light bulbs." If you don't have nail jewels, dot nail polish on instead. Either way your nails will shine brightly all season long!
2
Holly Berry Christmas Nail Art
Simple holly leaves and berries decorating an accent nail or two makes for happy holiday nail art. Coordinate the berry color with the solid shade used on the other nails for a cohesive look. See more designs at Bellacures.
3
Mistletoe and Berries Christmas Nail Art
Carry mistletoe close to you all season long—yes, on your nails! Here, a silver base coat creates a clean backdrop for mistletoe branches and dots for berries and snow. This one takes a bit of patience. We suggest trying a toothpick for drawing the greenery and a nail dotting set for the berry and snow details.
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4
Santa Baby Christmas Nail Art
Thanks to a drip and some dots, this red-tipped manicure turns into a Santa hat masterpiece. See more designs at Bellacures.
5
White Poinsettias Christmas Nail Art
If you love Christmas poinsettias as much as we do, try your hand at painting them your nails. Start with a solid coat of your favorite polish, then paint on a flower shape in white. Once dry, outline in black and add other flower details as shown. Mix up the colors if you want, but we love how classy this gold and white combo looks.
6
Burgundy Mani Christmas Nail Art
If you want to be seasonal but not splashy, deep red nails are a solid choice for a winter manicure. This gel color is extra glossy for just a hint of glam.
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7
Plaid Tidings Christmas Nail Art
Inspired by plaid sweaters and ribbons, this nail art design works with any color combo. With its Christmas tree accent nail, the deep green and gold really works here.
8
Reindeer in the Snow Christmas Nail Art Idea
Shop nail stamps or nail stickers to achieve this holiday sweater-inspired nail art. We love the cheery red base color, but blue or green would be fun, too!
9
Evergreen Berries French Manicure Christmas Nail Art
Take a French manicure to holiday heights by adding a neat row of evergreen leaves and berries.
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10
Cotton Candy Cane Christmas Nail Art
Reminiscent of the sweetest Christmas confections, this cotton candy-inspired color palette features snowflakes and candy cane stripes. See more designs at Bellacures.
11
Frosty the Snowman Christmas Nail Art Idea
We're more than a little obsessed with this adorable Frosty for winter nail art! Snowdrift tips and white dots for snow complete the look.
12
Glitter Tips Christmas Nail Art
Add glittery tips for a slightly snazzy upgrade to a rosy red manicure. Coat glitter polish in the area you want extra sparkle. Let dry in between coats and build closer to the tips as shown.
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13
Holly Jolly Christmas Nail Art
At first glance, this Christmas holly nail art design looks complicated. But once you break it down, it's actually very simple. Start with a white or other light-colored base. Paint on green leaves in two shades, then top with three dots of red polish. Finish off the look with two sets of thin intersecting parallel lines, reminiscent of a window pane.
Pro tip: Let each layer dry fully before moving on to the next step.
14
Winter Blush Christmas Nail Art
Using peachy blush and white polish colors, this mix of solid nails and nails with snowflake designs is just as pretty as can be.
15
Snowman Face Christmas Nail Art
This snowman face design is super simple to apply to stick-on nails or to paint directly on your own. A nail dotting set makes this cute Christmas nail art design easy to pull off.
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16
Baubles and Bling Christmas Nail Art
Stripes, glitter, and ornaments—oh my! A combination of glitter and matte polishes makes for the most creative holiday nails. We simply cannot get over the tiny bows atop the sparkly baubles!
17
Starry Night Christmas Nail Art
Quieter than most of the other Christmas nail art ideas you see here, this neutral take on the holidays is no less joyful. Start with a natural base, then top with white and silver stars. For visual interest, position the stars in slightly different spots on each nail. See more designs at Bellacures.
18
Wintergreen Forest Christmas Nail Art
Whether you're dreaming of a white Christmas or actually living in your own true winter wonderland, we love this design for the holiday season and beyond. Paint trees varying heights and layer as shown for a full forest effect.
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19
Ice Blue Christmas Nail Polish
Jack Frost will be nipping at your nose—and your fingertips—with this fresh icy blue color. It's perfect for any holiday celebration, especially for the new year.
20
Classic Colors Christmas Nail Art
Red, green, and white are the reigning colors of Christmas. Here, each gets its due—white sparkles like snow, red berries, green holly leaves, and a peppermint-like stripe, of course.
Jessica Leigh Mattern
Web Editor
Jessica Leigh Mattern is a web editor and writer who covers home, holiday, DIY, crafts, travel, and more lifestyle topics. Prior to working for Country Living, she wrote for several lifestyle and women’s magazines including Woman’s Day, Cosmopolitan, and Redbook
Amy Mitchell
Amy Mitchell is the managing editor at Country Living Magazine. She writes about a wide range of topics, including homes and lifestyle content.