December gel nails

Fact about me: Once Thanksgiving rolls around, I go into full-on holiday/Christmas mode. I'm talkin' putting up Christmas lights, blasting Mariah Carey, and watching the Hallmark channel in ugly sweaters. Aaaaand, of course, trying out so many different Christmas nail art designs. And to help you get as hyped as I am for December 25, I rounded up the best, most festive, sparkliest nail ideas and designs of 2020. Think sleek red polishes, bold gold stars, and everything in between.

Don't worry though—not one of these picks is cheesy. Think of them as the more ~elevated~ version of what normally comes to mind when you hear the words "Christmas" and "nail art" in the same sentence. Now please, keep scrolling to see the winter nail ideas that'll take your festive mood to new heights.

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1. These red negative space nails for Christmas

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This Christmas nail art sits right at the intersection of “hella extra” and “kinda basic"—and that's a good thing. The abstract lines add some cool factor, while on-theme shades keep the look classic without being boring.

Recreate it with:OPI Nail Polish Scotland Collection in Red Heads Ahead

2. This gold star nail art for Christmas

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This Christmas nail art combines all of the good things about a sheer mani with everything you love about pop art to create a look that’ll turn heads.

Recreate it with: Zoya Nail Polish in Goldie

3. This gilded French manicure for Christmas

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An easy way to make your French mani super-luxe? Add gold tips—the metallic shade instantly transforms your Christmas nail art and makes it holiday-friendly without being corny.

Recreate it with: Zoya Nail Polish Quad in Under the Mistletoe

4. These green marble nails for Christmas

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The high-shine marble finish seen in this Christmas nail art is a statement. It's holiday party friendly and it'll perfectly match with that cozy sweater that you're going to wear to the Zoom festivities.

Recreate it with: Burano Marble Nail Polish

5. These sparkly jelly nails for Christmas

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This design is basically the nail equivalent to a tight, sparkly, bodycon dress—it's fun, glittery, and there's a time and place for it (aka it's not necessarily an everyday look). This Christmas nail art gives off major festive energy, and the jelly texture keeps it from looking tacky.

Recreate it with: Kiss Glam Fantasy Nails in Jelly Drops

6. These evergreen and gold nails for Christmas

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If you fancy yourself a Christmas connoisseur and you can tell the difference between a fraser fir and a balsam fir TYVM, match your nails to the garland on your fireplace mantle and go with an earthy shade of green and a festive touch of gold.

Recreate it with:Nash + Pino Nail Lacquer in Eat Your Veggies

7. These cranberry-colored nails for Christmas

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Doesn't this nail design make you think of a tasty holiday cranberry sauce?! To copy this saucy look, start with a base polish in a berry shade and—this part is key—while the paint is still wet, add swirls of a sheer neutral polish to get that marbled effect.

Recreate it with:Zoya Nail Lacquer in Alyssa

8. The green and gold leaf nails for Christmas

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Now that you've got that marbled technique down pat, add a little gold leaf on top with some nail transfer foilto take your Christmas look to the next level.

Recreate it with:Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer in Darjeeling Darling

9. These green chrome nails for Christmas

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Is it just me or do these nails look like those metallic ball ornaments you see on every single Christmas tree? I can think of no better nail art to wear while decorating your own.

Recreate it with:ILNP Boutique Nail Lacquer in Reminisce

10. These light-themed nails for Christmas

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TBH, copying this Christmas light-inspired nail look is probably less tedious than hanging actual Christmas lights around your home. Nail art hack: Use a wax stick or pencil to easily place the tiny stones where you want them. Then, use a nail art brush to paint a super-thin line that connects them.

Recreate it with:Teenitor Professional Nail Decoration with Gems for Nails

11. These red rhinestone nails for Christmas

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For a bolder bedazzled look, use bigger gemstones in varying shapes and create your own Christmas-inspired design. Take this all-red look, for example, that starts with a coat of red nail polish and matching red rhinestones for texture.

Recreate it with:Pear Nova Lacquer in Berry Jane

12. These gradient green nails for Christmas

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If you own 50 shades of green polish, grab all of 'em and paint each nail a different shade from dark to light to copy this Christmas nail art.

Recreate it with:Suite Eleven Nail Lacquer in NY Who?

13. These confetti nails for Christmas

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Whether you look at this nail design and think of colorful ornaments or multicolored string lights, one thing's for sure: this mani definitely evokes the feeling of Christmas time. If you've got the patience (or at the very least, a wax stick), you can totally DIY this look.

Recreate it with:Duufin 48 Colors Nail Sequins Round Nail Glitter Flakes

14. These two-toned red nails for Christmas

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These Christmas designs only look like jelly nail extensions, but you can easily DIY it at home with two shades of red polish. Start with a base coat of bright red nail polish over the entire nail, then add a French tip with a darker red polish.

Recreate it with:Nails Inc. Plant Powder Nail Polish in Swear By Salutation

15. These green retro nails for Christmas

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Thanks to the combo of retro lines and Christmas green colors, these nails give off equal parts roller skating and ice skating vibes. If your painting skills are better than your skating skills, grab a thin striping brush and give this look a try.

Recreate it with:Revlon Nail Enamel in 571 Posh

16. These blue nails for Christmas

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Wait! Don't put away that blue nail polish just yet! Red and green might be the classic Christmas colors, but if you prefer a wintry mix of blue shades instead, you can still give it a Christmas feel by adding a little glitter nail polish and maybe even a sweater-inspired accent nail.

Recreate it with:OPI Blue Infinite Shine Collection in To Be Continued

17. These sparkly silver snowflakes for Christmas

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This nail art look doesn't include any of the classic colors, either, but what says "Christmas" better than silver sparkles and snowflakes?! If you can't even cut a snowflake out of a folded piece of paper, let alone paint one on your tiny fingernail, glue a decal on your accent nail instead.

Recreate it with:Mischo Beauty Nail Lacquer in Magnifique

18. These neon green nails for Christmas

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Can't get enough of neon nail polish? Neither can we! Turn your bright summer nail shade into the perfect Christmas nail design with an added stripe of icy silver polish to balance it all out.

Recreate it with:D.I.D. Nail Paint in Open Bar

19. These green nails with gold studs for Christmas

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The bright green color combined with the almond shapemakes these nails look like tiny Christmas trees. If you feel like the design needs a little something extra, decorate your "trees" with a gold stud.

Recreate it with:China Glaze Nail Lacquer in In The Lime Light

20. These sage and snowflake nails for Christmas

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Don't know what I love more about this look, the icicle drips, the flocked white polish, the stud embellishments, the snowflake design, or the sage color. The good news is with this Christmas nail art, you don't have to pick a favorite! Wear allll of the things at once.

Recreate it with:Loud Lacquer in Juice Cleanse

21. These multi-colored glitter nails for Christmas

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The best part about glitter polish is that it quite literally never comes off, so use that to your advantage. Apply it for Christmas Eve, and let it last you until New Year's Eve(and let's be honest, Valentine's Day too).

Recreate it with:Olive and June Nail Polish in Obvi

22. The blue and green nails for Christmas

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For this look, no two nails are the same, which makes it the perfect design to copy if you're not a very consistent freehand painter. Even abstract shapes can feel Christmas-y with the right colors of winter nail polishes.

Recreate it with:Olive and June The Winter Set

23. These mint green negative space nails for Christmas

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Mint green absolutely works as a Christmas color, too, and if you don't believe me, Google Image search it. And while I wait for you to do that, I'll share a quick tip to getting sharp, squiggly lines like this: a small makeup brush dipped in nail polish remover.

Recreate it with:Duri Nail Polish in Summer Rain

24. These red and green marble nails for Christmas

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If you took an art class in elementary school, you're well aware that red and green paint mixed together makes brown. The trick to getting this red and green swirly look without muddying the color is to mix them into a sheer neutral or nude nail polish.

Recreate it with:OPI Holiday 2020 Shine Bright Collection, Nail Lacquer Nail Polish

25. These tree trimming-inspired nails for Christmas

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Ornaments, tinsel, snowflakes—anything you would think to put on your Christmas tree would also make for the best designs to put on your nails during the holiday season. The more, the merrier (literally).

Recreate it with:Teenitor Stamp Nail Art Tool with 15pcs

26. These plaid nails for Christmas

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What design pairs perfectly with stiletto nails, you ask? Christmas plaid! Just look at how the long lines complement the nail shape! You've got approximately one thousand plaid prints to choose from, but as long as you include shades of red, green, blue, and gold, you can pull off a classic pattern easy enough.

Recreate it with:Shany Cosmetics Nail Polish Set in Funky

27. These white nails for Christmas

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I believe it was Buddy the Elf who put the sea of swirly-twirly gum drops on the map. Reference that Christmas classic with this unique nail look. Start with a sheer white base coat, then paint the swirls with a winter white nail polish.

Recreate it with:Sally Hansen Insta Dri Nail Color in White On Time

28. These tree ornament nails for Christmas

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Trim the tree? More like trim your nails—and I mean that both ways. Even super-short nails can get in on the nail art party with classic tree trimmings, like these round ornaments that fit perfectly on even the smallest nail beds.

Recreate it with: Deborah Lippmann 'Very Berry' Nail Polish Set

29. These green ballerina nails for Christmas

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If you associate Christmas with The Nutcracker ballet, these ballerina nails are the clever, minimal nail design you need to try this holiday season.

Recreate it with:La Pierre Cosmetics Lacquer in Boom Chakra-Laka

30. The press-on nails for Christmas

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If you're absolutely horrible at painting your own fingernails, try press-on nails like these instead so you don't have to forgo fun designs just because you have shaky hands.

Recreate it with:Kiss imPRESS Nail Couture Collection in Quartz

31. These red-and-gold geometric nails for Christmas

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’Tis the season to paint your nails pale pink and with bright red tips. Don’t forget to add some minimalist gold lines to finish off the look.

Recreate it with:Essie Nail Polish in Forever Yummy

32. These Santa-inspired nails for Christmas

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Keep your holiday nail design simple and really freakin' cute by decorating each nail with iconic Christmas symbols.

Recreate it with:Ella+Mila Nail Polish in Paint the Town Red

33. These mistletoe nails for Christmas

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I mean, how cute are these mistletoe nails? I’m sooo into them. And the best part about this design? It’s super easy to pull off, no matter how long your nails are.

Recreate it with:OPI Nail Lacquer in Alpine Snow

34. These candy cane stripes for Christmas

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If you can’t keep your hands off of candy canes during Christmas (TBH, who can??), try out this candy cane-inspired look. With a combo of glitter and red-and-white stripes, you can recreate the look of the tasty treat pretty easily.

Recreate it with:Zoya Nail Polish in Snow White

35. These reindeer nails for Christmas

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Not down to rock a bold Christmas hue? Don’t worry—this Christmas nail design is perfect for you. The deep colors give off a chill vibe, but the reindeer design shows that you’re still very much into the holiday season.

Recreate it with:Smith & Cult Nail Polish Glitter

36. These candy cane nails for Christmas

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This red-and-white candy cane design is so cute, as long as you don’t go overboard. If you don't want to look too extra, try painting candy canes on only three of your fingers.

Recreate it with:China Glaze Nail Polish in Go Crazy Red

37. These red and white snowflake nails for Christmas

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A white Christmas might not be a thing where you live, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add some snowflakes onto your nails to get you in the holiday mood. Paint your nails red first, let the polish dry completely, then add on the snowflakes.

Recreate it with:INLP Cherry Luxe Nail Polish in Rich Red

38. These sparkly stars for Christmas

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Instead of doing a basic five-point star on your nails, try out this Christmas star nail design. Not only is it gorgeous, but the glitter polish also adds a nice sparkle.

Recreate it with:Smith and Cult Nail Polish in Shattered Souls

39. These festive penguins for Christmas

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Penguins plus Santa hats—who could resist? Reindeers might be the official mascot of the holiday, but penguins are a close second IMO.

Recreate it with:OPI Nail Lacquer in Black Onyx

40. These abstract Christmas tree nails

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Go for a more colorful look with this Christmas nail design. The abstract Christmas tree plus the sparkly studs make for a show-stopping holiday nail look.

Recreate it with:Revlon Nail Enamel in Romantique

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41. These sleigh-inspired nails for Christmas

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Slay the nail game this holiday season with this extremely detailed sleigh design. You probably won’t be able to do this one on your own, so take a screenshot and ask your talented friend do it for you.

Recreate it with:Pacifica Nail Polish in 1972 Pool Party

42. These Mr. and Mrs. Claus nails for Christmas

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Who wouldn’t want this jolly and cheerful couple on their nails? It's the perfect Christmas nail art to wear to your virtual office holiday party this year.

Recreate it with:Ella + Mila Nail Polish in Naughty Not Nice

43. These Grinch-inspired nails for Christmas

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Mr. Grinch is a mean one, but he’ll look really good on your nails this winter as you binge-watch his movies on TV.

Recreate it with:OPI Nail Lacquer in Envy the Adventure

44. These winter wonderland nails for Christmas

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This Christmas nail design actually looks like a work of art on your fingers. If you can recreate this on your nails by yourself, you should quit your day job because you’re basically Van Gogh.

Recreate it with:Essie Nail Polish in Anchor Down

45. These snowflake and reindeer nails for Christmas

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Pastels are obviously the perfect nail colors for spring, but guess what? They work for winter, too, and these colors combined with this design of a reindeer in a sweater will for sure get you into a cozy holiday spirit.

Recreate it with:Sally Hansen Nail Polish in Slate-R Girl

46. These holly berry nails for Christmas

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Nope, you don’t have to give up your classic French manicure. Just switch out the classic white for a festive glittery gold and add on a little holly berry stem in the corner of each nail for a little Christmas twist.

Recreate it with:Nash and Pino Nail Lacquer in Bottle Service

47. These nail decals for Christmas

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Most Christmas sweater prints leave a lot to be desired (aka they’re ugly), but these nail designs are just perfect. Unless you have super steady hands, pop on pre-painted decals to speed up the process.

Recreate it with:Christmas Nail Decals

48. These glitter and tinsel nails

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IDK about you, but the holidays instantly make me think of glitter. Get your shine on with this super fun, tinsel- and glitter-filled Christmas nail design.

Recreate it with:OPI Nail Polish in Red Heads Ahead

49. These turtle dove nails for Christmas

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This nail design is basically “The 12 Days of Christmas” come to life. If turtle doves aren’t your thing, pick one of the other days to recreate on your nails.

Recreate it with:Floss Gloss Nail Lacquer in Mrs. Tony Montana

50. These present-themed nails for Christmas

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Everyone knows the best thing about Christmas are the presents!! JK, it’s friends and family, blah, blah, blah. Anyway, presents are great IRL, but they’re also really pretty on your manicure. Paint them onto the corner of your nails, or if you wanted to, you could recreate the full box on each nail.

Recreate it with:Zoya Pixie Dust Nail Polish in Solange Pixiedust

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As the temperatures dip, so can the desire to play with your beauty arsenal. Snowflakes in your lashes can be a major look killer, and the icy winter wind is going to turn your cheeks the ruddy color of blush anyway, right? But there's good reason to add a little color to your look, even when your inner chill runs deep: It's the happiest time of the year, after all. And if you've already brought out your moodier eyeshadows and deeper lipsticks, there's still room to spice things up—on your nails, to be exact. Your nail polish collection is the perfect place to start when it comes to dressing up—or down—this winter.

Before you know it, you'll be ringing in the holidays with "All I Want for Christmas Is You (Extra Festive Version)," and it's a good time—though when have we ever needed a special occasion?—to switch out those nudes and pastel polishes for something a tad bit more festive. Sparkles! Glitter! Chrome! Neons and sheers give way to deep, dreamy shades that scream December, and your manicure becomes a canvas for some bolder art. Hey, no need to ask us twice. Here, the best winter nail colors, from shimmery party shades to matte jewel tones, to lift you from your cold-weather slump.

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It's Christmastime, and the stockings are hung by the mantel with care — and hopefully (by now) your nails are polished to festive perfection. But did you just reach for a shade of red or green nail polish, or think outside the box with some fun designs? We're feeling inspired by the custom Christmas nail art designs that we've seen all over Instagram — including looks you can easily DIY and ornate details that you might want to have a professional execute. But what to try first?

Luckily, there are endless cute Christmas nail art options to choose from. From candy canes to glitter, snow globes to snowflakes, this list of impressive manis has it all. And if you're feeling like a design on every nail might be too ambitious (or just too much!), we also have some nail art ideas that include accent nails (or a "party" nail) to spice things up without being too loud. 'Tis certainly the season for sparkles.

Now, without further ado, please meet the most adorable ways to paint your nails this winter. Whether you're on the naughty or nice list this year, you're sure to turn heads with these Christmas nail designs.

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Everyone has a different way of celebrating the holidays. Some go full-throttle, wearing a different "ugly" Christmas sweater for every day of December, decking their halls (and the entire exterior of their homes) with more lights than Paris, and practicing for a perfect cork-pop on New Year's Eve. Others prefer a more subtle approach, hardly dabbling in the traditional red-and-green shades of the season, preferring hints of sparkle over in-your-face festiveness. The same goes for Christmas manicures. 

If you're picturing your nails covered in three-dimensional merry motifs — perhaps a cotton-bearded Santa and all of his reindeer, complete with pointy antlers and working light-up nose for Rudolph — don't hold back. Prefer a simple coat of silver that will take you through to 2021? Your polish options are endless.

There's really no wrong way to get your nails ready for the holidays, but if you're having a hard time deciding on what manicure to get in these jovial last couple weeks of the year, we've rounded up some of our favorites. Find inspiration in Instagram's greatest nail artists, Fashion Week fabulousness, our very own editor in chief Michelle Lee's lovely hands, and more. You'll find the perfect holiday mani that's right for your particular level of spirit.

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