Credit: Instagram/ @gels.byffi

• Simple Christmas nail designs allow you to give yourself a festive manicure.
• Using seasonal colors like red and green, and simple nail-art patterns like polka dots, anyone can DIY a chic Christmas mani.

Choosing a holiday nail design is almost as difficult as finishing your gift shopping without going over budget. Thankfully, there’s plenty of inspiration when it comes to Christmas manicures. Professional artists and talented DIYers have flooded Pinterest and Instagram with simple Christmas nail looks that are easy to recreate at home—without taking hours or requiring the painting skills of Michelangelo.

Opt for a monochromatic set to let the season’s prettiest colors speak for themselves, from glittering emerald green and rich wine-red to snowy white. For accent nails, stick to simple patterns and easy line art: polka dots, swirls, a cute snowflake, micro-French tips. Another quick way to elevate a seasonal nail look is by adding the right 3D embellishments—because nothing says Christmas like ornamentation.

If all you want for Christmas is more polish to experiment with, these festive DIY manicures are for you. With a steady hand and enough practice, your DIY manicure could pass for pro-level in no time. Below, find 15 simple Christmas nail designs that are DIY-friendly for beginners and intermediate artists.

Snow Sparkle

Instagram/ @danaturenails

A sheer white base polish and a touch of ultra-fine glitter make this snowy look stand out. Look for silver or blue-tinted glitters to capture winter’s cool tones.

French Shimmer

Instagram/ @staceymachin

Wine-colored French tips can easily go from holiday party to New Year’s Eve countdown. Add glitter to the mix, and your nails are sure to steal the spotlight.

Garland Green

Instagram/ @danaturenails

Green is emblematic of Christmastime—from trees and garland to wreaths and emerald-themed decor. It’s also a calmer alternative to red, the other mainstay of the season. This simple forest green manicure serves up all the subtle holiday elegance.

Simply Dotty

Instagram/ @pristinenails

Bring a touch of old money glamour to your holiday manicure with subtle chrome polka dots. The pattern looks luxe, but it’s easy to execute once you get the hang of dotting. Complete the look with a dotting tool, toothpick, or bobby pin—anything that allows you to make a dot!

Green Glitter Tips

Instagram/ @danaturenails

Level up your French-tip game with a swipe of green and a coat of sheer glitter over the whole nail. The best hack for at-home Frenchies? Nail stickers are your BFF—once your base coat has dried, place a half-moon sticker near the top of your nails to get a clean line when you paint your tips.

Gingerbread Swirl

Instagram/ @decenails

Another hack for making simple Christmas nails appear elevated is by featuring a spread of tonal neutrals instead of just one polish. Pick shades of brown and white that are close to one another to create a horizontal ombré across each hand. An abstract white swirl makes this look feel dimensional.

Mistletoe Red

Instagram/ @danaturenails

Red nails are an alluring icon, and these (featuring OPI’s Rebel With A Clause) are no exception. It’s giving “meet me under the mistletoe.”

Red Ribbons

Instagram/ @nailsby_bridgett

Christmas is the time to break out the bows—and yes, that includes on your nails. Start with a light, bright color like champagne for your base coat. Use a striping brush to add swirls of ribbons and the bows themselves across your mani in a darker color, like burgundy.

O Christmas Tree

Instagram/ @nailsby_bridgett

The polka-dot trend is coming for Christmas. Make it festive and fun with a smattering of primary-color dots across a matte green base shade. If you don’t have a dotting tool, a toothpick works with practice.

Twinkling Lights

Instagram/ @nailsby_bridgett

Ready to put your nail-art skills to the test? Try to recreate these glittering Christmas lights, which feature a curly stripe of black and glittering ovals for bulbs. Save yourself some time by limiting the art to only one or two accent nails, with a plain color for the rest.

Peppermint Accents

Instagram/ @pristinenails

For the more advanced DIYer, a peppermint pattern is the perfect way to elevate red Christmas nails. Create a swirl across a nail for a bold accent, or restrict the detail to a fancy tip.

Subtle Streaks

Instagram/ @pristinenails

Who doesn’t love an abstract take on holiday nails? This look has simple streaks of festive colors that end at different lengths along the nail. Mix plain red and green with swatches of glitter for added visual interest.

White Gold

Instagram/ @nail2be

Make the classic white and pink French manicure feel more Christmassy with the addition of gold embellishments, such as tiny beads and twinkle stars. It’s clean, cute, and doesn’t require any line-art abilities.

Haul Out The Holly

Instagram/ @gels.byffi

Give a few of your French tips a festive border for a holly, jolly minimalist mani. It might take some practice to get your holly pattern down, but the work is very worth it.

Christmas Colors

Instagram/ @decenails

Nothing says festive like red and green together. Top off the merry pair with stick-on twinkles, and try your hand at tracing a bow if you’re up to it.