Holiday Nail Art Designs to Get You in a Festive Mood

There’s a holiday nail art design that will perfectly match your mood. Plus, nothing is more fun than treating yourself to a little mani date, where you can splurge and get the fun design you’ve been dreaming about all year long. If you’re more of a DIY gal (*raises hand*), most of these designs are actually simple enough to tackle at home.

If you’re here, we’re assuming you’re ready to swap out that sensible nude nail polish in favor of something festive, so we’ve gathered a slew of holiday manicures to try. so you can kick your DIY game up a notch. So whether your vibe is Santa-approved hues, wintery glitter, or cozy plaids, these 60 holiday nail designs are ready to rock straight into the new year.

Cozy Snowflakes

Image of a model's hand with a red and white snowflakes and sweater themed nail art mani

Design By Happy Nail Rock Hill

Sweater weather is the best weather (Don’t @ us). Whether it’s a full-on snow situation outside or a southern 60 degree “winter,” this manicure will complement your cozy couch plans perfectly. “You actually don’t need any special tools for nail art,” says Lee. “You can use household items like an old eyeliner brush, bobby pin for dots, or scotch tape.”

Ornamental Stars

Close-up image of a model's hand with red mani embellished with rhinestones and studs against a green background with silver lace ribbons

Something about three dimensional decorations (like rhinestones or studs) makes any mani feel 100x more luxurious, and these glossy red nails with light-catching stars from Miss Pop will make you feel like a million bucks.

Candy Cane Party

Close-up image of a model's hand with a peppermint, candy cane, and Christmas tree themed nail art mani holding a shiny rainbow colored ribbon

This mani is over-the-top in the best way ever. Since this one requires quite a bit of line work, Miss Pop gives us a quick 101 on best practices: “So much of nail art is about how much pressure you apply to the brush. Be gentle! Let the brush do the work. To polish your nails, get a good bead of polish on the tip. To create a line, wipe the brush until the polish is smoothed into the shape of the brush.” With those words of advice, it’s time to start painting. Feeling a little overwhelmed? That’s okay! If you are a beginner, Miss Pop recommends simplifying the design with polka dots in a mix of all of the different colors. Festive and easy!

Fresh Fallen Snow

No matter your feelings on frozen precipitation, we can all agree the first blanket of snow is something special. Mimic that winter wonderland magic on your mani with this glittery ombré design.