15 Pink Christmas Nail Ideas, From Dainty to Retro

pale pink manicure — @melanated.mani / Instagram

When you hear "Christmas manicure," a few color schemes undoubtedly pop into your head—red and green (of course), red and gold, perhaps even silver and gold. But if you're a true nail art aficionado, you're likely looking for something a little... different this time of year. You can appreciate the classic palettes, of course, and likely even dabble in them. But in a sea of traditional candy canes and Buffalo plaids, you want to stand out from the festive masses.

If that sounds like you, we recommend thinking pink. As it turns out, the color of Barbie dolls and Good Witches can also make a great base or accent in a Christmas-ready manicure. Don't believe us? Scroll on for 15 of our favorite pink Christmas nail ideas—from mid-century designs to subtle snowflakes—and get ready for your prettiest seasonal set yet.

01 of 15

The Christmas Classic

a pink glitter ombre manicure with star and candy cane stripe accents — @heygreatnails / Instagram

A glitter ombré French manicure is a great way to mimic snowfall—especially when topped with nail art of literal snowflakes. Add some candy cane stripes, and you've got a classic Christmas look.

02 of 15

The (Minimalist) Christmas Classic

a neutral glittery pink manicure with candy cane and snowflake details — @brushedbyb_ / Instagram

A base polish with subtle shimmer offers a more minimal way to mimic snowfall. This particular shade leans heavily neutral, adding to the sleek and chic appeal.

03 of 15

Present Moment

a pale rose manicure with hot pink bows — @pop_polished / Instagram

Sitting under the tree so your loved ones know you're the present? Add some bows to your fingertips and they'll get the message loud and clear.

04 of 15

Mismatched Merriment

a shimmery pink holiday mismatched manicure — @melanated.mani / Instagram

The only thing we love more than a mismatched manicure is a mismatched manicure that's easy to DIY. Draw on some French tips (traditional and negative space), pop on some celestial decals, and paint a few digits solid for a low-lift, festive set.

05 of 15

Wrapping Paper

In the immortal words of G(a)linda the Good, "pink goes good with green—"especially in a set that marries shimmering French tips and a swirly wrapping paper design.

06 of 15

'70s Stars

a short pink manicure with pink and green stars — @phoebesummernails / Instagram

Whether you're a David Bowie fan, all about the short mani renaissance, or just love a holiday star motif, this pink-on-pink (feat. green) set is worth recreating. Freehand your stars with a fine lining brush, or keep it simple with decals.

07 of 15

Ice Princess

an icy pale pink manicure — @melanated.mani / Instagram

Another Glinda-coded manicure (what can we say, she's having a real moment), this set demonstrates how the best way to give a solid baby pink manicure a holiday-friendly upgrade is by opting for a frosted finish.

08 of 15

Feeling '50s

a mid-century manicure in shades of pink and green — @pop_polished / Instagram

Pink just feels so natural in a mid-century Christmas design (see also: blue). The wrapping paper on the middle finger and the vintage ornaments on the ring finger are particularly funky.

09 of 15

Pink Velvet

a pink magnetic velvet manicure — @melanated.mani / Instagram

A velvet finish instantly makes any color cozier, including pink. While we love a hot pink velvet moment as much as the next nail art fan, a rosy hue amps up the sumptuous vibes.

10 of 15

Silver Snowflakes

a pink manicure with silver chrome stars — @phoebesummernails / Instagram

Is it a modern mani roundup without a little silver chrome? (The answer is no, no it is not.) While nail artist Phoebe Summers drew these on herself, we'd probably opt for nail stickers—or take this pic to a talented nail artist as inspo.

11 of 15

Holiday Barbie

a hot pink and gold manicure with swirls — @brownluxenails / Instagram

Yes, Christmas-coded pinks tend to be light, muted, or both. But a piping hot Barbie pink could be just the ticket for a stand-out holiday party mani—just pair it with gold polish or flakes.

12 of 15

Shining Bright

a pink aura manicure with glittery gold stars — @heygreatnails / Instagram

Nail artist Aistė Haas creates such stunning manis that it's easy to assume they all require pro-level skills to recreate. But believe it or not, this one is a relatively easy lift: Use a brush and eyeshadow (or the sponge technique and two pink polishes) to create your aura base, then add a coat of glittery gold polish and gold star decals. Lock everything in with a glossy top coat, and voilà—you've got a pink version of a starry night mani.

13 of 15

The Midas Touch

a glittery pink manicure with solid and striped nails — @themimid / Instagram

A touch of gold makes anything feel more Christmas-y. Case in point: The gold shift in this shimmering pink polish.

14 of 15

Orna-moment

a short manicure with an ornament design scheme — @swaknails / Instagram

For a look that incorporates pink without going full-on (or even primarily) pink, consider a mismatched ornament design. It looks particularly fetching on shorter lengths.

15 of 15

Wrapped In a Bow

glittery french manicure with bow details — @disseynails / Instagram

A simple glitter French with coquettish pink bows works as well for Christmas as it does for Valentine's Day. Maybe it's time to become a—dare we say it—mani repeater?