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December nails get to do a lot of work. They have to look right at the church concert, the cookie exchange, Christmas dinner and the New Year’s Eve party, and they still have to survive chores, dishes and carrying in firewood. So I look for designs that feel wintry all month, not just on the 25th.
Here are 24 December nails I gathered from nail lovers and bloggers whose work I admire, from red velvet cat eye and deep evergreen to sweater nails, icicles, pink snowflakes and a little New Year’s sparkle. Each idea links to the site it came from, and I added how to copy it at home. If you want the full Christmas set with reindeer and candy canes, our Christmas nail ideas have you covered.
1. Red velvet cat eye nails
SaveCredit: Green Wedding Shoes
If I could only pick one December look, it would be this one. A deep red with a magnetic shimmer that moves when you turn your hand looks like velvet ribbon on a gift.
Paint a red cat eye polish, then hold the magnet over each wet nail for a few seconds to pull the shimmer into a wave. Finish with a glossy top coat so the depth really shows.
2. Deep wine half moons
SaveCredit: Green Wedding Shoes
This is a dark burgundy with a tiny bare half moon left at the base of each nail. It is classy, and it grows out kindly, which matters in a busy month.
Stick a round reinforcement sticker or a curved guide at the base before you paint. Brush on two coats of wine polish, peel the guide while it is still wet and add a top coat.
3. Dark evergreen polish
SaveCredit: Green Wedding Shoes
A dark green that is nearly black is my answer for anyone who wants something festive without a single snowflake. It looks like pine boughs at dusk.
Two thin coats of a deep forest green on almond nails is all this takes. It pairs with gold rings and a white shirt cuff beautifully.
4. Frosted blue velvet tips
SaveCredit: Green Wedding Shoes
The color sits mostly on the tips and fades toward the cuticle, like frost creeping up a window. It is soft enough for work and pretty enough for a party.
Paint a sheer base, then sponge a blue gray shimmer onto the top half of each nail, building more color at the tip. A coat of fine glitter on top gives it that velvety frost.
5. Smoky snowflake fade
SaveCredit: Green Wedding Shoes
A sparkly blue gray ombre at the tips with little white snowflakes and dots looks like a snowy evening sky. I love that it still feels grown up.
Sponge silver blue glitter onto the tips over a nude base. Once it dries, paint a simple six line snowflake on two nails with a thin brush and scatter a few white dots with a toothpick.
6. Navy with gold stars
SaveCredit: Green Wedding Shoes
Navy reads as a winter night, and the little gold stars make it feel magical. This one carries you from early December right through New Year’s Eve.
Paint two coats of navy, then press tiny gold star studs or stickers onto a few nails while the top coat is still tacky. Seal the edges with one more thin top coat.
7. Pearly glazed chrome
SaveCredit: Green Wedding Shoes
A pearly chrome over a pale base has a rainbow sheen that catches the Christmas tree lights. It is the most delicate look on this list.
Paint a sheer lavender or milky base and cure or let it dry, then buff a pinch of pearl chrome powder over a no wipe top coat with a silicone tool. Seal with another top coat.
8. Cream cable knit sweater nails
SaveCredit: Melissa Jane Lee
These look exactly like my favorite cream sweater. Plain glossy white on most nails and one raised cable knit accent is cozy and simple.
Paint everything a creamy white. On the accent nail, draw the cable pattern with a thick builder gel or a second coat of white using a small brush, then use a matte top coat on that nail only so the texture shows.
9. Blue and cream sweater nails
SaveCredit: Melissa Jane Lee
Mixing navy, light blue and cream makes the whole hand look like a stack of folded sweaters. It is my pick for the first snow day.
Alternate the three colors across your nails, then add raised cable lines in the same shade on a few of them. A matte top coat over everything makes it look like wool.
10. Cozy gold plaid
SaveCredit: Maniology
Gold plaid over a warm shimmer looks like a fancy flannel shirt. It is festive in a quiet way, and it goes with everything I own in December.
Paint a champagne gold on every nail. On two accent nails, stamp or hand paint a thin plaid grid in a lighter gold, then seal with a glossy top coat.
11. Blue icicle drips
SaveCredit: Melissa Jane Lee
Icicle nails are the most December thing I know, and the blue glitter version is so cheerful. It looks like the eaves on our porch after a cold night.
Paint a blue glitter polish on most nails. On two accent nails, paint the top third white and pull little drips down with a striping brush, then add a line of blue glitter along the drip edges.
12. Soft pink icicle shimmer
SaveCredit: Melissa Jane Lee
This is icicles for people who like it quiet. Thin silver white streaks over sheer pink look like frost on a windowpane.
Paint one coat of sheer pink. Dip a striping brush in a pearly white and pull fine lines down from the cuticle area toward the tip, then seal it.
13. Burgundy with a plaid accent
SaveCredit: Melissa Jane Lee
Shiny burgundy is the color I wear most in winter, and a plaid accent nail keeps it fun. A glitter accent on the other hand balances it out.
Paint all nails burgundy except one on each hand. Paint one pale pink and add crisscross lines in burgundy and white for plaid, and cover the other in a burgundy glitter.
14. Short burgundy with one snowflake
SaveCredit: Melissa Jane Lee
Short nails are the homestead reality, and this proves they can still look polished. A single white snowflake is all the decoration it needs.
Paint short nails a deep red burgundy. On one ring finger, paint a tiny white snowflake with a dotting tool and a fine brush, then top coat everything.
15. Berry plum shimmer
SaveCredit: Blush & Pearls
A juicy berry shimmer feels like sugarplums and cranberry sauce. It is bright for a dark month without screaming Christmas.
The color here is OPI Charmed I’m Sure. Two coats and a glossy top coat give it that jewel tone sparkle.
16. Mirror silver
SaveCredit: Blush & Pearls
Silver chrome looks like tinsel and holiday party dresses. It is the fastest way to feel dressed up.
The shade here is Zoya Pixie, a silver shimmer. Apply thin coats so it dries smooth, since metallics show every brush stroke.
17. Espresso brown
SaveCredit: Blush & Pearls
Deep brown is the sleeper hit of winter nails. It looks like hot cocoa and goes with every coat and boot in the closet.
The polish in this photo is OPI Brown To Earth. Two coats of a dark chocolate shade on short square nails look neat and rich.
18. Pink snowflake ombre
SaveCredit: Life with Mar
A milky pink that fades to white at the tips looks like snow on the hills at sunrise. Two delicate snowflakes finish it off.
Paint a sheer pink base, then sponge white onto the tips and blend it down. Add white snowflakes to one or two nails with a thin brush.
19. Glitter pink snowflakes
SaveCredit: Life with Mar
Rosy glitter and dusty pink with white snowflakes and dots is soft and sparkly at the same time. It suits a sweater and jeans day perfectly.
Alternate a pink glitter polish with a dusty pink cream. Paint white snowflakes and tiny dots on the cream nails, then add a glossy top coat.
20. Lace snowflakes on pink
SaveCredit: Life with Mar
These snowflakes look like a lace doily on pink and sparkle. They feel like an heirloom ornament.
Paint a sheer pink base and a pink glitter on one or two nails. Use white snowflake stickers or a stamping plate on the rest, then seal with top coat.
21. Blue swirl winter wonderland
SaveCredit: Maniology
Deep blue, silver glitter and swirly blue designs look like frost ferns on a window. If your family celebrates Hanukkah, the blue and silver works for that too.
Paint some nails dark blue glitter and one silver glitter. On the remaining nails, stamp or paint blue swirls over white, then top coat.
22. Teal stamped snowflakes
SaveCredit: Maniology
Bright teal with pearly snowflakes is a cheerful change from red and green. It reminds me of an old blue enamel coffee pot.
Paint two coats of teal. Stamp snowflakes over it in a pearl white using a stamping plate, and seal with a gentle top coat so you do not smear the design.
23. Champagne glitter tips
SaveCredit: Blush & Pearls
Nude pink with glitter fading in from the tips is the look I wear for the last week of December. It works for Christmas dinner and New Year’s Eve.
Paint a sheer nude pink. Dab a chunky silver gold glitter onto the tips with a makeup sponge, then add a thick top coat so it feels smooth.
24. Black French tips with stars
SaveCredit: Blush & Pearls
Black tips and tiny gold stars are a fun way to end the month. They feel like fireworks and party hats.
Paint thin black French tips over a nude base with a striping brush. Add small gold star stickers or paint four point stars with gold polish.
How to make December nails last through the holidays
Start clean. Push back your cuticles and wipe each nail with rubbing alcohol before the base coat so the polish grips.
Paint thin coats. Two thin coats dry harder than one thick one, and they chip less when you are scrubbing roasting pans.
Cap the tips. Run the brush along the very edge of each nail with every coat, including the top coat.
Wear gloves for chores. Dish gloves and work gloves save more manicures than any fancy top coat.
Refresh the top coat every three days. A quick new layer brings back the shine and keeps glitter from snagging.
December nails FAQ
What color nails are best for December? Deep red, burgundy, dark green, navy, silver and gold are the classic December shades. Soft pinks, icy blues and milky whites work well if you want something lighter.
Are December nails just Christmas nails? Not always. Many December looks, like velvet cat eye, sweater nails, icicles and snowflakes, feel wintry without being tied to Christmas, so you can wear them from the first of the month through New Year’s Eve.
What are easy December nails for beginners? A single color like burgundy or evergreen, one snowflake accent nail, or glitter sponged onto the tips are all easy to do at home with no special tools.
How do I make sweater nails? Paint a cream polish, add raised cable lines with thick gel or a second layer of polish using a small brush, and finish with a matte top coat so it looks like knit.
