16 festive nail art designs to try this Christmas season

Red, green and glitter aren't your only festive season options; this (kind of) neutral gingerbread mani is deliciously cute.

Image via: @whatsupnails

Give into your candy cravings nail art style with a mix of peppermint swirls, sugar cookie cartoons and candy cane designs.

Image via: @nailchark

Put a festive twist on a French manicure by turning candy red tips into Santa hats, adorned (of course) with fluffy white fur and mini pompoms.

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We’re guessing you’re hardly Grinch-esque if you’re opting for Christmas-themed nails, but this mani inspired by the classic character is cute enough to make your own heart grow three sizes.

Image via: @nailsbyshannon.xo

Practical? Absolutely not. Festive as hell? You betcha. A neutral manicure featuring a 3D holly accessory crafted from gel, this design was simply too good to leave out.

Image via: @swaknails

We know we said they weren’t your only options, but hey, gold glitter, red sparkles and green designs (of the tree, wreath, mistletoe and holly varieties) are Chrissy classics for a reason.

Image via: @la_beautique

You can also mix classics (like these red and green ribbon and tree swirls) with your personal palette preferences (hello, candy pink glitter).

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Consider this simple but striking star-and-stripe nail art combo pictorial proof that 'outside the box Christmas colours’ also work a treat; electric blue and vibrant violet pair perfectly with red and green.

Image via: @laurabeare_beauty

Florals for Christmas? Actually interesting. By keeping your colours classic, you can play a bit more with what can fall into the festive design category.

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Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and Vixen; the gang’s all here. Okay, we’re making assumptions re: identities, but regardless of names, these rugged up reindeers are adorable.

Image via: @coyarose

Candy cane stripes and silver snowflakes are stellar design options for anyone who wants to go pretty full-on festive, but still doesn’t exactly want Santa’s face on their mani.

Image via: @nails_by_lindsay_

Mini Holly designs and tiny strings of lights work in the same way. FYI, using deeper matte shades (executed expertly here) helps to give Christmas designs a cool vintage feel.

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Prefer a pastel polish palette? Peach, lime, dove grey and white act as stunning base shades for a little ‘of the season but not too OTT’ holly leaf detail.

Image via: @polishedbylearnahstarbuck

Christmas designs do tend to sit toward the ‘statement’ side of the nail art arena; leaving a little negative space (especially with bright designs like these) will help keep things on theme and chic.

Image via: @coyarose

Speaking of negative space, festive French manicures are also a thing. Try decorating your tips with gold glitter (and layering a bright white snowflake over the sparkle) to create your very own.

Image via: @nailchark

Follow Kourtney Kardashian’s lead and add a bit of festive sparkle to your regular go-to manicure, which in the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star’s case is almond-shaped French tips. Because nothing says festive like a dash of glitter amiright?

Image via: @kimkimnails