Yahoo Lifestyle Bedazzle Those Nails Now with Creative Christmas Designs
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Christmas is here, and while we're spending time trimming the tree and wrapping gifts, we never forget to celebrate with fun Christmas nail designs. If there's any time to go all out, it's the holidays, so we say embrace it with a festive manicure. For some, subtly is preferred, so we have put together our favorite simple ideas that you can do yourself, but we have plenty of playful designs here too that likely require the help of a professional.
What's trending this year? According to nail salon Bellacures, look for classic designs with a twist, snowflakes on a nude base, icy blues, deep greens, and berry reds. For more inspiration, check out our gallery of 50 designs below! Plus, don't miss our roundup of the best winter nail colors to try this year.
Green-and-Gold Reverse French Manicutre
This understated look is still a lot of fun. Pair classic gold and green in a fun reverse French manicure style for a festive design.
Red Sparkly Nails
Red nails simply never miss. Take your manicure to the next level with glittery gel, and you'll be in the holiday spirit in no time.
Subtle Sparkly Nails
For something toned-down but still fun, pair a nude base with think lines of glittery nail polish. Here, the lines only cover half of the nail for a whimsical look.
Stripes and Snowman Nails
There's no time like Christmas to go all out! This fun design pairs candy cane-inspired stripes with a snowman (complete with scarf and buttons!). Feel free to keep a few nails white to highlight these designs.
Green Santa Nails
For a true show-stopper, pair a dark green base with red Santa hats and snowflakes. This look is best left up to the professionals!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Evergreen Berries French Manicure Christmas Nail Art
Take a French manicure to holiday heights by adding a neat row of evergreen leaves and berries.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Glitter and Glam Christmas Nail Art
A little glitter goes a long way! Here, long nail tips are embellished with just enough sparkle. We love how this glam look will last well into the new year. See more designs at Bellacures.
Let It Snow Christmas Nail Art
Bring on the color and the snow! Paint on an eye-catching base coat (here in green, but bright blue or aqua would be pretty too) and top with snowflakes in red and white. For ultimate visual interest, mix up the snowflake designs and placement on each nail. Try snowflake nail stickers for a quick and easy Christmas nail art application.
Go All In Christmas Nail Art Idea
When you just can't make up your mind which design to go with, just go with them all! Each nail displays its own unique design, from stripes to glitter to candy canes. Select 3-4 main colors and stick with that palette to make your look feel cohesive.
Red French Tips Christmas Nail Art
This is a French manicure with a festive twist. The cherry-red tips offset the fun snowflake-inspired design on the nail beds.
Pretty In Pink Christmas Nail Art Idea
Forgo classic red and opt for a girlier shade, like fuchsia. It's equally festive and feminine. We love this monotone look for shorter nails.
Hand-Painted Christmas Nail Art
This whimsical idea can be done at home if you have a steady hand. Just keep the designs simple and whimsical, and don't stress about making it perfect. Try toothpicks for these tiny designs.
Hot Cocoa Christmas Nail Art
Find inspiration in a mug of your favorite drink for this design. The cozy brown color with sparkles is reminiscent of hot chocolate with marshmallows.
Bright Green Christmas Nail Art
We love this twist on the traditional Christmas color palette. Take inspiration from bright spearmint candy canes for this fun look.
Tiny Trees Christmas Nail Art Idea
You can have so much fun with this style. Paint on a white or other light-colored base, pick a palette, and get to painting on trees in all sorts of designs. Use tiny, brushes, toothpicks, or even a nail dotting tool to achieve a clean look.
Silver Bells Christmas Nail Art Idea
Icy tones like this light blue and silver glitter will last well into the new year. For a more graphic approach, alternate patterns, or pick just one glitter accent nail for a simpler look.
Glossy Red Christmas Nail Art Idea
Red is hands-down the color of the holidays. A classic red gel manicure will last all season long. Add a super shiny top coat to make your color last.
Evergreen Christmas Nail Art Idea
Make everyone green with envy when you show up with this unique polish color. Add a few stick-on gems if desired, but we think this deep green color can stand on its own.
Santa Baby Christmas Nail Art Ideas
Just try counting the comments you'll get on this adorable design! That Santa hat alone is enough to put you on the nice list. Apply snowflakes with nail stamps or nail stickers, but you'll likely need to DIY the hat.
Sweet Christmas Nail Art Idea
We love this look for teens, tweens, and younger kids, too. A sparkly base of glittery ombre pink is topped with a collection of fun Christmas-themed nail stickers. Swap them throughout the season for never-ending fun!
Silver and Gold Glitter Christmas Nail Art Idea
A mix of silver and gold glitter polish brings on all the holiday bling. Can you say "party-ready"?
Jewelry-Like Christmas Nail Art Idea
Wow—talk about a head-turner! Inspired by vintage gold jewelry, this creative design using stick-on gems is perfect for a fancy holiday affair. This works best for medium to long nails.
French Pastel Christmas Nail Art Idea
It's a fact: A classic French manicure goes with everything. When you want neat nails without an eye-catching design, you can't go wrong with this look.
Neutral Christmas Nail Art Idea
Otherwise neutral nails get a subtle nod to the holiday season. One accent nail on each hand is decorated with a simple bauble design. Shop Christmas-themed nail stamps or nail stickers for tons of graphic options.
French Manicure-Inspired Christmas Nail Art Idea
This creative looks mimics a French manicure, but instead of the classic white tips, blue glitter offers a fun freshness. Top with snowflake nail stamps or nail stickers for a wonderfully wintry vibe.
Diamond Christmas Nail Art Idea
Elevate classic red nails by applying tiny diamond-like stick-on gems at the base of nail beds. Here, only a couple of nails on each hand get extra bling, but you could go all out by adding this detail to every finger if you want.
Candy Cane Christmas Nail Art Idea
Yes, of course you should match your nails to your favorite holiday treats! The bright turquoise background brings the holiday happy in a big way, and the graphic candy canes add a super sweet touch.
Pink and Purple Christmas Nail Art Idea
Santa in a purple hat? Why not?! Teen girls will go crazy for this wonderfully wacky design, from the ombre pointer fingers to the delicate snowflake nail stickers.
Snowflake Christmas Nail Art Idea
For easy snowflake nails, use tiny stick-on appliques on top of blue and white nail polish. To complete the ultimate winter wonderland look, add a glittery silver statement nail.
Marbled Christmas Nail Art Idea
Not all Christmas nail art has to be red and green. This matte black and marbled look feels perfectly understated for winter days. Just use a nail dotting tool to spread black nail polish over a white base coat to achieve the marble design. It's easier than it looks!
Wild Christmas Nail Art Idea
Go ahead and get a little sassy with your nails this season! Pick an accent nail or two and apply a wild design that's sure to turn heads.
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