A Christmas manicure is surely up there with watching Home Alone (again) and scoffing mince pies when it comes to getting into the yuletide spirit. And while there really are no rules when it comes to your nails at this time of year, we’ve pulled together a few ideas from the internet that’ll perfectly suit the festive season.

Perhaps you’d like to go for maximum impact with a 3D motif mani (maybe Santa and his elves on each nail?). Or maybe you’d prefer to skip novelty nails in favour of something more “winter chic”, with rich shades like merlot, chocolate and forest green. And of course, there’s always glitter. Nothing says party more than a bit of sparkle. Whatever you opt for, holiday nails are a stylish and fun way to add a little joy to your festive attire.

If you’re planning on doing your nails yourself, there are tonnes of ways to achieve the look of a pro manicure without the fiddly process. Look to press on nails, nail wraps and nail embellishment to help you create your coveted finish with little trouble – Etsy, ASOS and Superdrug all offer lots of brilliant designs, from the subtle to the outrageous. Of course, if you fancy leaving it to the professionals, now’s the time to book in for your Christmas manicure.

So if you’re looking for a little inspiration, we’ve rounded up our favourite nail looks to take you through the festive season…

10 best Christmas manicure ideas for 2022

A new take on red

The classic French manicure gets a red twist

"Nothing says festive like red nails. I predict 70% of my clients will opt for some form of red on their nails this season – it's the Christmas crowd favourite,” says Booksy ambassador and social media superstar Alice McNails.

Starry, starry night

This London salon always comes up with chic nail art designs

From London salon Townhouse’s festive collection, this subtle-yet-stylish design will see you through Christmas and on to New Year’s Eve.

Driving home for Christmas

How adorable are these festive nail decals from Scratch Nail Wraps? Look really close to see all the details. So cute!

Dotty for spots

Townhouse's 'Snowstorm' design for 2022

Another from Townhouse, this disco design features pinky-nude base colour with rose gold bots added uniformly over the entire nail.

Golden design

Understated but still with a festive nod, this nail art is simply beautiful. A steady hand is preferable.

Candy cane

These press-on nails cost just £1.25

These nail stickers say festive, but in a very subtle way. We love how they curve around the nail so easily, and they cost just £1.25 here.

Frosted fancy

Ice Queens and Frozen obsessives will love this cool take on Christmas glitter.

Fashionable pair

We love the gold tips and black stars combination here. Very Bowie-esque.

Green with envy

We love the subtle addition of the little Christmas tree on the thumb against the green and gold mani.

Noir nails

Like a wintery night, but a lot more sexy. Who knew that black and navy looked so good together?

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By Editor