When Christmas nears, there are so many joyous holiday activities to indulge in. Of course, one of our favorites is getting a festive manicure. This time of year, our feeds fill up with cheery nail ideas that capture the Christmas spirit, making it hard to choose just one. From adding adorable nail accents (like candy canes and gingerbread) to opting for standout seasonal colors (think: red, green, and gold), there are endless ways to approach a Christmas set. Ahead, find 22 Christmas nail ideas guaranteed to bring holiday cheer to your fingertips.
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Electric Red
Celebrate Christmas with a classic red manicure. A bright, electrifying shade will bring extra cheer to your holiday.
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Christmas Motifs
The holidays are the perfect time to lean into creative nail art. Take notes from this manicure and add several Christmassy designs to your set.
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Gift Wrap
This year, draw inspiration from your gift wrap and decorate your nails like a preset. The gorgeous red ribbons are the perfect finishing touch for this white French mani.
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Matte Moment
Take a break from high-shine manicures and embrace matte textures this month. The gold cuticle accents add an elegant touch to the matte green polish.
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Lovely Lights
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Christmas lights always capture our gaze, so why not add them to your manicure? This nude, shimmery set is made more striking with hand-painted holiday lights.
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Festive Mix-and-Match
When it comes to holiday manicures, the more glitter, the better. This mix-and-match set incorporates shimmer in various ways, from French tips to swirls.
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Red and White Vibes
When we think of Christmas colors, red and white immediately come to mind. Have fun with the seasonal shades and recreate this whimsical mismatched set.
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Golden Bows
Elevate your glossy red nails with golden bow decals. The result gives coquette Christmas vibes.
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Holly Jolly
Minimalists will appreciate that this short mani skips the colorful polish and focuses on the nail art instead. In this case, beautiful holly plants grace each nail.
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Tiny Trees
There is a way to incorporate Christmas trees in a minimalist way. Case in point: this baby pink mani with tiny trees.
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Seasonal Stickers
After looking at this set, we're inspired to create a Christmas collage on our nails. Grab fun stickers—like candy canes and gingerbread men—and add them all over each nail.
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Gold French
Enjoy Christmas with a gold, glamorous French manicure. The best part? It's also perfect for any New Year's Eve celebration.
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Christmas Plaid
Is there a print more synonymous with Christmas than plaid? We think not. If you want to get in on the trend, consider this red and green take.
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Royal Red
We'll never grow tired of a red manicure because there are so many ways to use the shade. This set, for instance, uses shimmery ruby polish and incorporates cool abstract accent nails.
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Glamorous Black French
Here's one way to give a black French manicure a Christmassy vibe. Simply add colorful gemstones, and you're good to go.
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Pearly Red French
To make a red French manicure feel extra special, add pearls along the arch of each tip. It's such a festive, cheery take on the classic mani.
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Red Bows
During the holidays, there are bows galore. Embrace them in your beauty routine this Christmas with a chic bow manicure.
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Blue Chrome
Blue is indeed a Christmas color, especially a metallic blue like this one. To get the look, apply a deep blue polish and chrome powder on top.
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Dazzling Emerald
We all know that green is one of the most popular hues of the holiday. This emerald stiletto manicure is one of the most stunning ways to wear the shade this season.
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Frosty Green
Bring a little frost to your fingertips with a shimmery green mani. The polish's pearlescent tones give it a cool tone, so it's the perfect choice for winter.
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Snowy Trees
The snowy Christmas tree is a dreamy addition to this forest-green manicure. Looking at this set, we feel we've been transported to a winter wonderland.
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Mixed Metals
Don't be afraid to mix metals this holiday. Start with a silver base before creating your gold French tips.