47 Non-Cheesy Christmas Nail Art Ideas to Screenshot
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below."
If there’s one thing you need to know about me, it’s that I love nail art. Like, I’m the person who owns 100+ sets of nail stickers, has her engagement nails planned out (despite being single AF lol), and also started screenshotting non-cheesy Christmas nail ideas as soon as summer hit. Which means if you’re someone who loves and celebrates the holidays like I do, you’re in luck, because I’ve got a massive list of the best minimalist Christmas nail designs of 2022, from cute accent nails to winter nail art to glitter nails.
Whether your holiday plans involve sipping hot cocoa in front of Netflix, baking cookies with family, or handing over the best gift for your BFF, you can be sure that your nails will evoke all the same festive and cheery vibes. Keep reading to find the Christmas nail art you <3 most, then get ready to show your manicurist or DIY them at home.
1. Candy-cane French tips for Christmas
Just looking at these candy-cane nails is making me crave a peppermint mocha. I personally love the rounded, oval-shape as a contrast to the design’s diagonal, straight lines, but these would also look super cool with coffin nails or square nails to play up the sharpness.
2. Christmas nail colors
While these red-and-green nails are unmistakably Christmas-themed, they’re also not so obvious that you’ll feel the need to scrub them off on December 26. Feel free to swap in shades or tones you prefer more, like a candy-cane red, a deep emerald green, or even a crisp, winter-y blue.
3. Gingerbread nails for Christmas
This gingerbread mani with glittery-gold accents feels both statement-making and neutral, thanks to its mix of negative spaces and accent nails. Pro tip, tho: Instead of trying to draw a bunch of mini gingerbread men by hand, try sticking on a few gingerbread nail stickers instead for way less stress.
4. Plaid Christmas nails
My mom hasn’t let me open presents in anything but my “Christmas plaid” since I was able to dress myself, so this year, I’ll be really leaning into the requirement by incorporating plaid into my nail art too. I love this iteration with deep red, black, and silver, but any combo of festive shades will do.
5. Brown velvet Christmas nail design
If you’re on Instagram, you’ve definitely seen this “velvet” nail trend on your feed. Basically, it involves a few coats of hyper-shimmery polish, followed by a magnet to “activate” the sparkles. The result? A soft, fuzzy-looking texture that mimics your velvet holiday fit. You can opt for this look all over your nails, or stick with simple French tips with a mistletoe accent nail, like the above.
6. Gold snowflake nails for Christmas
Not a fan of the in-your-face Christmas vibes? I get it. Which is why I love these minimal gold snowflakes, which give me all the holiday feels without the red and green. Plus, these are easy AF to do at home: just two coats of white nail polish, a gold snowflake sticker, and a layer of shiny top coat to seal it all in.
7. Colorful Christmas nails
Switch up your Christmas mani this year by ditching the “classic” colors for bright pastel shades. This negative-space mani gives off a mid-century modern Christmas vibe without feeling dated or cheesy—basically, what I imagine West Elm would look like in nail-art form.
8. Glitter nails for Christmas
These glittery nails scream “holiday party,” which is exactly what I want from my December-through-January manicure. To DIY, grab an opaque glitter nail polish (not a glitter top coat, which tends to be sheer), layer it on, then seal with a clear and shiny top coat. Fwiw, I personally use three coats of Olive and June’s Exclamation Point or four coats of Deborah Lippmann Candy Shop to get the most megawatt finish.
9. Winter wonderland nail art
Want your nails to look like a legit winter wonderland? Show this nail design to your manicurist asap. Beware: A design this intricate will take some time and cost a lil bit. But you could make it a bit cheaper (and potentially even a DIY) by popping on some nail stickers instead of painting.
10. Glitter Christmas ornament nails
The only thing more Christmas-y than regular ornaments is glitter ornaments. These ornament (and reindeer!) accent nails are an elevated take on basic Christmas nail art, thanks to its sheer base and shimmery, dark-red polish. To tie the look together, give a few of your nails the full glitter treatment, stacking on the layers for an opaque finish.
11. Gingerbread and candy cane nail design
These multicolor French tips are so freakin’ fun, thanks to the cartoon-level Christmas art dotted across each nail (tag yourself—I’m the thumb snowman). And don’t worry about recreating the whole look yourself: Stick to just the French tips if you’re not an artist, or ask your manicurist for mix-and-match mistletoe, candy canes, and gingerbread men.
12. Green velvet nails for Christmas
Told you, velvet nails are going to be everywhere this season, and I, personally, will be kicking off the holiday trend with this outrageously sparkly green-black mani. To get the “velvet” look at home, layer a shimmery-green shade over a shiny black nail polish to make yours just as deep and saturated as shown here.
13. Chrome snowflake nail idea
Chrome snowflakes are exactly what I need to take me from my end-of-year review to my end-of-year Christmas and NYE parties. If you’re gonna try this look at home, grab a manicure set to clean up your cuticles and buff your natural nails first to make them look a lot more profesh. Then, dust silver chrome powder over your wet, hand-drawn snowflakes for a bright, chromatic finish.
14. Shimmery Christmas ornament nails
The key to making your Christmas mani feel even more festive (without looking gaudy) is to start with a glitter base coat, rather than finish with a glitter top coat. These retro ornament nails have a sheer base of glittery white (reminiscent of the Internet’s favorite mani of 2022, Hailey Bieber’s “glazed donut nails”), which keeps the nail art from looking flat and dull.
15. Holly nail design
Whether you call them holly leaves or mistletoe (team mistletoe, over here), we can both agree that holly accents are an easy minimalist nail art idea for the holidays. Dot them on a few accent nails and leave the rest of your nails bare and shiny, or—my personal fav—pair them with bright-red nails for the full Christmas effect.
16. Muted Christmas-colored nails
Olive green, oxblood, ivory, gold—these are probably the fall nail shades you relied on last season. But when paired together, they make a super pretty and surprisingly toned-down Christmas manicure. And if you’re not feeling up to precise nail art today (relatable), skip the work and instead paint each nail a different shade.
17. Red and white nail design for Christmas
These nails remind me of candy canes and gumdrops. To try yourself, grab a nail brush and a nail dotting tool. Paint two coats of white polish (or until opaque), let it dry, and then dip your dotting tool in red nail polish then into a pattern on your nails. For the candy cane stripes, just brush on a few stripes with red polish and clean up any mishaps with a nail remover pen.
18. Tree nail idea for Christmas
At first glance, these nails look like ordinary French tips from far away, but look again, and you'll notice soft metallic polish with snow-topped trees—the perfect amount of holiday cheer for holiday-nail haters. If you’re an artist at heart, grab a thin nail brush and a forest-green polish, or just stick on a lil tree decal and call it a day.
19. Mistletoe Christmas nails
Yeah, these mistletoe nails are fairly simple, but that’s what makes them perfect for lazy people. The key to this minimalist look is painting on a sheer base color that’s one shade lighter than your skin tone, so your mani feels both crisp and neutral. Feel free to use these nails to get free mistletoe kisses from any and all around you this Christmas.
20. Abstract Christmas nails
Not into cutesy designs? No prob, just mix up your favorite abstract mani by incorporating Christmas colors. Go for rich tones—as shown here—like crimson red, emerald green, ivory, and gold for a classic look; or try a mix of metallics to bring in a bit more festivity (especially when New Year’s rolls around).
21. Mint candy-cane nail idea
Mint-y blue nails for Christmas? Um, 100 percent yes. This turquoise mani looks like vintage Christmas wrapping paper, especially with the candy-cane design. But don't be fooled by the art—zoom in, and you'll see that each candy cane is actually just a series of dots that anyone can copy. Just grab a fine-tip dotting tool and carefully dot red and white polish in the shape of a cane across each nail, finishing with a top coat.
22. Red jelly nails for Christmas
If you prefer an IG-worthy manicure that only hints at Christmas vibes, try these red jelly nails that feel timely year-round (but especially in December). You’ll likely need to head to the salon for gel nail extensions, or grab a set of clear press-ons and paint them with a mixture of equal parts red nail polish and clear top coat to get a sheered-out jelly effect. Optional: Add glitter on top of a few nails to punch up the festive factor.
23. Chromatic gold French tips
An easy way to make your French mani feel super luxe? Gold tips, as seen here. To create them at home, coat your nails with black nail polish and buff in gold chrome powder with a sponge-tip applicator (see: this chrome nail tutorial). The end result is a fancy, holiday-friendly manicure that’s perfect for any person asking Santa for those Versace slippers this holiday (me. I am person.).
24. Silver stars Christmas nails
These tiny iridescent stars add a festive touch to an otherwise minimal and sheer manicure—and, thankfully, they’re very easy to play around with at home. Just pour some star confetti on a paper plate and, while your nails are still wet, carefully place each star where you want it. Then, layer on a high-shine top coat to seal the stars in place.
25. Polka-dot nails for Christmas
Something about these shimmery red-and-silver polka dots make this Christmas mani feel kitschy and vintage in the best of ways. So if you’re nostalgic for visiting Santa Claus at the mall, place these dots on a few nails (or all of ‘em!) with a nail-dotting tool.
26. Gold bow nails for Christmas
If anyone asks, these nails are my present to everyone this year. Although I love using monochromatic yellow-gold for the French tips, you could definitely swap in a Christmas-y red or green, or go for an unexpected baby blue or silver for fun.
27. Wavy green nail idea
Look, your Christmas-nail design doesn’t have to be so overtly Christmas to get the idea across. If you’re not necessarily a nail minimalist but want something you can wear well into the new year, try these squiggly, retro nails with a few shades of green in varying depths. Or you could up the festivity and choose red, green, and white.
28. Red gemstones for Christmas
TBH, with these nails, I’d feel like I belong in one of those royal holiday Christmas movies I just can’t stop binge-watching on Netflix. These red gemstones, especially in this unique shape across the whole nail, are giving major regal vibes, which is exactly the look I’m hoping to achieve for every holiday party.
29. Cranberry and gold marble
Tbh, this nail design makes me think of holiday cranberry sauce, and I’m not mad about it. To copy, layer on a berry nail polish and—this part is key—while the paint is still wet, swirl on a sheer neutral polish to get that marbled effect. Or you can try doing water-marble nails: drip a few drops of nail polish into a cup of water, swirl it around with a toothpick, and then dip your nail straight into the polish/water mixture.
30. Gold French tips with mistletoe
Swap your go-to French manicure from the classic white to a festive glittery gold and add on a little holly berry stem in the corner of each nail for a Christmas twist. Pat the polish on your nails to help the glitter clump together and go fully opaque.
31. Winter-y Christmas nail idea
Not down to rock a bold Christmas hue? Don’t worry—this Christmas nail design is perfect for you. You’ll give off a chill vibe, thanks to the deep colors, while still showing that you’re very much into the holiday season, re: reindeer design.
32. White Christmas dove nails
This nail design is basically “The 12 Days of Christmas” come to life. But even though it’s screaming Christmas in your face, these nails stay pretty sophisticated and simple without having a base coat underneath the design and the short length. Definitely don’t forget five golden rings, tho.
33. Abstract red design for Christmas
This Christmas nail art is chic and simple, but of course, the iconic Christms-red makes it feel on theme. The abstract lines add some cool factor, while this bright-red color keeps the look classic.
34. The Grinch Christmas nail design
One of my favorite fun holiday facts is that Jim Carey’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas actually won an Oscar in 2001. Sure, it was for Best Makeup, but semantics! So pay homage to everyone’s favorite Oscar-winning film this season with a festive red-and-green mani complete with a Grinch decal.
35. Green French tips for Christmas
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. And all it takes is a green nail polish to create the French tip and green chrome powder to make it shine.
36. Christmas lights nail idea
TBH, copying this Christmas light-inspired nail look is probably less tedious than hanging actual Christmas lights around your home. Nail art hack: Place the tiny stones where you want them with a wax stick or pencil. Then use a nail art brush to paint a super-thin line that connects them.
37. Gold glitter snowflake nails for Christmas
This nail art look proves you don’t have to cover your nails in bright-red and green to say “Christmas.” 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 on top of a gold glitter nail polish.
38. Red and silver glitter Christmas nail designs
The theme running through all of these festive nail designs? Glitter, bb. The chrome accents literally look like you draped tinsel over your nails, making them extra special for the holidays.
39. Christmas ornament nails
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. Like, I love how even the base of this nail look is a glittery red shade, topped with even more glitter and shimmer accents. The more, the merrier (literally).
40. Wrapping paper Christmas nail idea
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.
41. Green marble and gold Christmas nails
Now that you’ve got that marbled technique down pat (see above), add a little gold leaf on top with some nail transfer foil to take your Christmas look to the next level. Shiny gold accents make anything look a bit more festive.
42. Multi-green French tips for Christmas
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 Christmassy with the right colors of winter nail polishes, like these icy-blue and cool-toned greens.
43. Colorful Christmas present nail idea
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 (like a diagonal take on a French mani). Then, decorate your masterpiece to your heart’s content, complete with a bow, ofc.
44. Green and gold nails for Christmas
If you fancy yourself a Christmas connoisseur and can tell the difference between a Fraser fir and a balsam fir, match your nails to the garland on your fireplace mantel and go with an earthy shade of green and a festive touch of gold. It’s giving rich aunt at holiday dinner vibes.
45. Swirl-y white French tips
I believe it was Buddy the Elf who put the sea of swirly-twirly gumdrops on the map. Reference that Christmas classic with this creamy, wavy nail look. Start with a sheer white base coat, then paint the swirls with a winter-white nail polish.
46. Gold star nail idea
This Christmas nail art combines all the good things about a sheer mani but with an added “pop art” look, which I’m highkey obsessed with. Follow this star nail art tutorial with a thin nail brush and gold nail polish, and then outline the shape with black polish.
47. Dark-red Christmas ornament nails
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.
Why trust ‘Cosmopolitan’?
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with four years of experience researching, writing, and editing nail stories, like fall nail colors and winter nail colors. She’s an authority in all nail categories, but is an expert when it comes to Christmas nail ideas, courtesy of her massive Pinterest board.
Katherine J Igoe is a contributing editor at Cosmopolitan, and has eleven years of experience as a freelancer—with nearly five of those years writing about beauty, fashion, and lifestyle, including best nail drills and summer nail colors. Her Christmas nail ideas came from scouring Instagram for the best holiday nail art.
Valeriya Chupinina is the beauty assistant at Cosmopolitan with five years of experience researching and writing beauty-related stories, but she's an expert in writing about nails, like dip-powder nail kits and lipstick nails.
You Might Also Like
