Somehow, December is upon us. Before we know it, our schedules will be dominated by holiday parties and end-of-year deadlines, leaving little time to think about much else. But amid all the hubbub, it’s important to take a little time for oneself—whether that means cozying up with a favorite holiday flick, indulging in some seasonal treats, or creating (or booking) a year-end mani.

If that last one is your preferred mode of self-care, take a beat to read through this round-up of December nail ideas. From frosty Frenchies to trendy velvet glass, we’re sure you’ll find your perfect set for the last month of the year.

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Arctic Aura Nails

Glass velvet nails are trending—and, lucky for us, are quite easy to recreate. For this arctic aura look, start with a jet-black base. Then, apply silver velvet polish on top and manipulate with a magnet. To complete the look, finish with a glossy teal jelly polish. Voila!

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Celestial French Tips

Metallic gold stars are another popular design for the season. You can add them to any mani with a dotting tool and ultra-fine nail art brush, but we especially like how they look paired with a milky nude base and burgundy French tips.

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Candy Cane French Tips

Speaking of French manicures, here we have a festive red, white, and gold iteration. To recreate the look, try using half-moon nail stencils to section off your tips and fill in above the arch. Once dry, remove the stickers and use a fine-lining nail art brush to add gold borders to the underside of each tip. Finish with a top coat.

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Gingerbread Nails

Prefer kitschy nail designs for December? Check out this cutesy gingerbread design. Add it to a few fingers as an accent, or allow it to take center stage among solid nails and French tips.

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Christmas Lights Nails

How fun is this festive Christmas light nail design? Start with a shimmery nude base, then use a nail art brush to trace a squiggly black line across each nail to serve as the wire. Next, add colorful bulbs in the hues of your choice.

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Blue Velvet Ribbon Nails

Pay homage to the holiday season and the start of winter with this pretty blue velvet ribbon manicure.

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Candy Cane Heart Nails

Feast your eyes on this sweet December nail idea. The heart design is a fun twist on candy cane nail art.

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Holiday Squiggle Nails

Swirl nail art remains a popular pick. We love how this take on the trend incorporates some of the festive season’s most popular nail polish colors, including chocolate brown, gold, ruby red, evergreen, and terracotta.

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Peppermint Nails

If you love peppermint nail art and want to go all out with your December nails, consider this red and silver velvet swirl design. Given the intricacy, you may want to book a nail sesh to bring this sweet look to life.

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Christmas Ribbon Nails

What about gift box nails for the holiday season? We’re obsessed. As intricate as this manicure looks, nail artist Dayanna I. Sapiens details the full look at the link in the credit above. Spoiler alert: It’s easier than you might think.

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Red and Gold Abstract Nails

Feeling artsy this holiday season? Consider a red and gold abstract nail design. The beauty of this manicure is that it’s impossible to mess up. Simply swirl and dot your colors as you see fit, then add a glossy layer of top coat to encase the final look.

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Glass Sapphire Nails

Okay, we admit it: We’re obsessed with the velvet glass nail trend. Here’s how rich, sapphire blue glass nails can turn out. One word: Stunning.

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Winter Wonderland Nails

While blue hues are top of mind, let’s take a moment to swoon over this winter wonderland mani. With a nail art brush and French manicure stencil stickers, you’ll be able to recreate this shimmering beauty with ease.

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Icy Sapphire Nails

Of course, sapphire manicures don’t have to have a glass finish to stun. Consider a more textured look instead and top a sapphire mani with glittery swirls in the same hue.

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Wrapping Paper Nails

Is it just us or does this dual-finish red and green geometric design look like the ultimate nostalgic Christmas quilt? We’d wear it in an instant.

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Winter Plaid Nails

Gingerbread nails are adorable and all, but sometimes you want something a bit more demure. If that’s the case, consider this sparkly plaid design in rich gingerbread hues. It’s just as fun—not to mention easy to DIY with a nail art brush.

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Marbled Christmas Tree Nails

Christmas nail ideas don’t have to be vivid and bright. This moodier evergreen ombré swirl look delivers the same festive vibe, especially with dainty Christmas light details on top.

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Neutral Snowflake Nails

We’re big fans of cream-colored nails for December. They’re bright, elegant, icy, and cozy all at once. For an especially snowy effect, consider an iridescent cream ombré base with bright white snowflake nail art on top.

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Red Velvet Holly Nails

As if red velvet nails aren’t festive enough all on their own, adding a few dainty holly designs to each nail surely gets the point across. You can try to DIY the design with a nail art brush or make it easy on yourself with a nail appointment.

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Snowflake French Tips

Baby blue polish works for December, too—it’s cool, powdery, and a bit more neutral in tone. To make it even more wintry, add white snowflakes on top. And remember: The longer your nails are, the more space you’ll have for snowfall.

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Sapphire French Tips

Sapphire nail polish is stunning in literally any form. For a more minimalist application of the hue, try slim French tips.

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Vintage Christmas Nails

Look what you can DIY with red, green, black, and sheer nude polishes paired with a dotting tool and nail art brush. It’s simple yet intricate—take your time and see how it turns out. Or bring this image as inspo to your next nail appointment.

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Vintage Ornament Nails

Okay but isn’t this minimalist holiday nail art adorable? It might be dainty and demure, but it’s definitely not an easy DIY. So do yourself a favor and book a nail sesh at your local salon.

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Abstract Evergreen Nails

Of course, you can achieve a festive December nail look without any snowflakes, snowmen, or candy canes in sight. It’s all about utilizing the proper palette. Evergreen, white, and silver? Picture perfect for Christmastime.