29 Holiday Nail-Art Designs That Are Festive Without Being Cheesy

For beauty enthusiasts, one of the best things about the holidays is dressing up. However, the star of the show is the accompanying nail art. But just because you're partial to festive manicures doesn't necessarily mean you prefer tinsel designs, ugly-sweater-inspired nails, or red and green colors. In fact, we're here to prove that holiday nail art doesn't have to be cheesy to be cute. We're in a new age of creativity led by stellar nail technicians. Holiday nails can range anywhere from subtle candy-cane swirls to ombré polish with mistletoe tips.

If you want to keep it classy, graphic lines and glitter finishes are the way to go. If you're looking to step it up a notch, cashmere and crystal nails are as stylish as they are cool. Winter nail art is beyond Christmas or Hanukkah. Don't be afraid to experiment with the entire cozy aesthetic of the season.

Ahead, we've rounded up the chicest holiday manicures that will have you celebrating tastefully.

Holiday Nail Designs: Reverse Sparkle Ombré

The most festive twist on the inverted french manicure is this sparkly nail design, which features flecks of silver glitter along the cuticle.

Holiday Nail Designs: Gray Sweater

Nothing is cozier than sweater nails, which feature 3D details on an accent finger that match the texture of a knit sweater.

Holiday Nail Designs: Abstract Red

Red nails will be everywhere this festive season, but painting on the color in an abstract shape — like just the tip of each nail as shown here — makes this holiday manicure feel fresh.

Holiday Nail Designs: Black and Gold Abstract

Switch up your standard holiday nail art by implementing varying designs within a singular theme, like this look that incorporates a different gold glitter look on each finger.

Holiday Nail Designs: Winter Berries

Adding subtle holiday details — like the winter berries design here — to a solid nail-polish color like dark blue or green gives your manicure a touch of whimsy without being too over the top.

Holiday Nail Designs: Negative-Space Gold Snowflakes

Negative-space nails — which feature a design on bare or clear nails — are the ultimate minimalist manicure idea. We especially like this seasonal addition of gold snowflake decals.

Holiday Nail Designs: Blue and Gold Abstract

Chevron nails are simple, understated, and chic as hell, but you can give them a holiday twist by incorporating classic colors like deep blue and metallic gold.

Holiday Nail Designs: Red, White, and Gold Swirls

Swirl nails are already trending this year, but you can level it up by drawing inspiration for your next design from classic wrapping-paper colors, like red, white, and gold.

Holiday Nail Designs: Silver Snowflakes

Give your nails the winter-wonderland touch with a silver-glitter-meets-white-snowflake design.

Holiday Nail Designs: Red and Gold Plaid

If you go the more traditional route with your manicure, make sure it doesn't read too "holiday" by switching up the designs on each nail to add an element of surprise.

Holiday Nail Designs: Christmas Tree and Wreath

Show your holiday spirit subtly with pearl and diamond details in the shape of a Christmas tree or wreath (or both) on a nude or neutral-toned polish color.

Holiday Nail Designs: Mistletoe Ombré

Mistletoe nail art doesn't have to be obvious or in your face; instead, try adding the design to the tips of every other nail and paint on a cool ombré design leading up to them for dramatic effect.

Holiday Nail Designs: Rose Gold and Burgundy

The easiest holiday nail-design idea: change up your polish finishes. Take this burgundy and rose-gold manicure, for example, which plays with matte and glitter.

Holiday Nail Designs: Rudolph and Red Plaid

Give Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer a subtle nod by adding the cartoon to an accent finger. Paint the rest of your nails either a single polish or an equally simple look.

Holiday Nail Designs: Olive Green and Gold Sparkles

An olive-green polish that matches your Christmas tree or wreath is a perfect choice on its own, but adding in a few flecks of scattered gold glitter to a nail or two makes it feel extra festive.

Holiday Nail Designs: Black French Tip With Gold Snowflake

Why not give your "french moon" manicure a holiday touch by adding a singular snowflake decal on a single finger?

Holiday Nail Designs: Burgundy Stencil

Matte burgundy nails look especially chic with a singular stenciled detail in a classic wrapping-paper design.

Holiday Nail Designs: Pink Snowflakes

Just because it's the holiday season doesn't mean you need to stick to the same traditional colors you see everywhere. Case in point? This snowflake nail art painted on top of a bright-pink polish.

Holiday Nail Designs: White Cashmere French Manicure

Give your french manicure the 3D touch with this embossed cashmere-sweater detail on the tips.

Holiday Nail Designs: Red and White Sweater

Or add the white sweater detail to a singular accent nail and paint the rest of your fingers a bright cherry red.

Holiday Nail Designs: Red and Gold Stars

We love a classic burgundy manicure in winter, and these gold-star additions (created with a metallic polish and thin nail brush) take it up a notch.

Holiday Nail Designs: Candy-Cane Swirls

The classic holiday candy gets a nail-art upgrade with this swirl design.

Holiday Nail Designs: Icy Blue With Gold Flakes

Metallic foil finishes are the perfect topper to any opaque holiday polish. We suggest adding it to one or two accent nails for a fun but subtle effect.

Holiday Nail Designs: Beige Sweater

If you want to try the cashmere-sweater nails trend but still want to keep it cozy and simple, we suggest a neutral base color like the beige worn here.

Holiday Nail Designs: Glitter French Manicure

French manicures look a lot more festive when you incorporate a glitter polish. Bonus points if you add other elements, like a snowflake here and there, to each nail.

Holiday Nail Designs: Christmas Tree

If you love all things Christmas and want a nail-art look to embody that, try a simple design on top of a deep-green polish color.

Holiday Nail Designs: Pink and Gold Glitter

Subtle gold details on a clean, neutral-colored polish will pair well with any holiday outfit.

Holiday Nail Designs: Red and Green Sparkles

Try the Skittles manicure — which features a different color on each fingernail — but give it a festive upgrade with greens, reds, and glitter polishes.