Christmas Nail Art

How to do Christmas nail art

Christmas nail designs look detailed, but most of them break down into a handful of moves you can practice once and reuse all season.

• Dots: ornaments, holly berries and snowman buttons. A dotting tool in two sizes covers all of them.
• Stripes: candy canes and peppermints are diagonal red stripes on white; sweaters are rows of short lines and dots.
• Triangles: a green triangle with a dot on top is a Christmas tree, and a red triangle with a white pom-pom is a Santa hat.
• Fine lines: snowflakes and strings of lights come from a thin striper or a nail art pen.

Simple Christmas nails for beginners

If you're short on time, paint one accent nail per hand and keep the rest solid red, green, white or gold. A single candy cane, snowflake or tree on the ring finger reads as festive and takes only a few minutes. For sparkle without extra detail, borrow a technique from glitter nail art.

Classy Christmas nails

For a more grown-up look, limit the palette to two colors, such as deep red and gold or white and silver, and choose one motif. Snowflakes on a soft nude, a red French tip or a single gold ornament all suit an office party or a formal dinner.

Keeping Christmas nail art fresh through the holidays

Let the background dry fully before detail work, seal with top coat and run it across the tip of each nail. A fresh thin layer of top coat every few days keeps the design glossy. If you want length or a gel finish for a season of parties, Christmas acrylic nails and gel sets are available at a nail salon.

Questions people ask

What colors are used for Christmas nails?

Red, green, white, gold and silver are the traditional set. Red Christmas nails with a gold or glitter accent are the classic, while icy blue and white suit a snowy look that works past the holiday too.

How do you paint a snowflake on a nail?

Draw a plus sign, then an X over it, with a fine brush or pen. Add a short V near the end of each line and finish with a dot in the center.