Christmas Nail Designs: 13 Designs for the Holidays 2021

November 11, 2021

Nail art has long been used as a method of self-expression and creativity, and there’s no better time for unique and interesting manicures than the holidays. You have lots of great options and designs to pick from, depending on the events and activities you love most.

Nailboo is here to help you find the styles and designs perfect for Christmas. We carry a wide inventory of manicure tools and kits, so you can begin applying your favorite styles at home. Which of these fun holiday looks from Nailboo will you try out first?

Christmas Nail Designs

When it comes to nail designs for holidays and occasions, there’s nothing more versatile or creative than Christmas. You have a great palette and tons of beloved characters and designs to pick from. Here are just a few of our favorites.

1. Colors

One of the easiest ways to get a festive Christmas look is to embrace all the best colors of the season. You can go for classic red and green, add in silver and gold twists, or try out a snowflake special with white and blue.

Pick colors in light shades, jewel tones, or whatever your outfit or next great event calls for. Colors are a great option for long and short nails, alike.

2. Candy Canes

Candy canes are a holiday classic, and they make a beautiful Christmas nail design, as well. It’s easy to achieve white and red swirls with a few simple pieces of manicure tape, and you can add extras in gold foil or a glittery silver to really take your look to the next level. You can apply the candy cane style to each of your nails or use it as an accent nail or at the tip for a really special look.

3. Snowflakes

One of the best things about the Christmas season is the snow, and you can add fun and festive snowflakes to your nails to get a unique festive seasonal style. Snowflakes can be fun as decals, or you can create cascading designs from the tip or the base of the nail for a manicure in action.

Make the most of beautiful glitter styles, and add shimmery silvers or pair metallic whites and blues for a subtle and lovely look that matches many unique occasions.

4. Santa Buckles

Embrace Father Christmas himself with a simple and easy nail design that’s sure to wow at every holiday party. All you need is a little nail tape and the classic red, white, and black that go into Santa’s suit.

Don’t forget a touch of gold for the belt buckle. This design is the perfect accent for a manicure in your favorite Christmas colors or patterns.

5. Rudolf

And, of course, if you have Santa, then Rudolph is sure to be close behind. You can add this iconic Christmas character to your manicure in many unique ways. Hand illustrate, stamp, or decal your favorite Rudolph style. The Rudolph look is easy to start—simply apply a brown dot to your nail, then draw out the antlers, face, and—of course—the classic red nose.

6. Buffalo Print

Buffalo print is a subtle and stylish way to achieve your favorite Christmas looks, and it’s so easy to get started with the tools and colors you already have at home. The traditional buffalo print colors are shades of red and black, but you can pick your favorite hues and apply them with a few pieces of manicure tape to get perfectly straight lines every time.

You may want to mix and match your buffalo print pattern with a few solid nails or Christmas designs in silhouettes, as are traditionally featured on pillows and blankets.

7. Wrapped Presents

Another super cute and easy Christmas design is a wrapped present. All you need is one line down and one line across, with a bow, decal, or gem on the center point. If you have a steady hand or love adding decals and stamps, you can even add a gift tag.

8. Stockings

And speaking of presents—don’t forget the stockings. You can draw or stamp on the shape of the stockings or turn the nails into stockings themselves with red fabrics and tufts of white fur. Make sure to stuff your stockings with lots of fun presents and toys. Decals, gems, and bows all make great additions to your stocking design.

9. Dots

Not all Christmas manicures need to be so literal. You can also achieve beautiful and creative manicure looks for the season with shapes and colors.

Apply dots in your favorite seasonal hues across the tip of the nail or cascade down from the tip or up from the base. It adds a lovely feeling of movement and grace, but still pays homage to the spirit and celebration of the season.

10. Sweater Pattern

You can pay homage to the weather of the season, as well, with fun and festive sweater patterns that you can apply in all your favorite cozy weather colors. The sweater pattern is beautiful, but you can also try applying the actual texture of the sweater pattern with layers and decals. It makes for a great accent nail, tip, or whole holiday set.

11. Mistletoe

Bring a little romance into the holiday season with a touch of mistletoe and holly. It’s a great subtle feature for those more subtle manicures but is still sure to garner lots of attention at the next holiday party.

Apply your favorite white, silver, or gold nail polish shade, and then add touches of mistletoe and holly on accent nails and at the tips of your nails. ‘Tis the season, after all.

12. Ornaments

Another super easy and fun design that you can make your own this holiday season is the ornament. Simply apply a circle in your favorite color to the dried base coat of your manicure, then add a hook or string. Don’t forget to wrap it in a ribbon or add a touch of gemstone shine.

13. Lights

Create a moving, stylish look that tells a story with a string of holiday lights that follow your entire manicure. Draw a line across the whole set first, then add tiny lightbulbs in the classic Christmas bulb colors, like orange, red, green, and blue.

Conclusion

Christmas is a fun and festive time of year, and it offers plenty of opportunities for creativity and self-expression, especially when it comes to your nails. There’s a unique and beautiful Christmas style and design for every manicure lover, from the more subtle mistletoe to the fun and festive pictures of Santa and his reindeer. Experiment with your favorite colors, patterns, and holiday sweets to get a Christmas manicure that you really love.

Nailboo is here to help. When you’re ready to try out exciting at-home manicure processes, like the nail dip manicure, we make it easy, with kits and guidebooks that you can begin trying out today. We also have a comprehensive library of tools and resources, so you’ll always feel inspired and ready to try out that next great look. Explore all of your fun and festive Christmas design options and don’t forget to share your nicest!