17 DIY Holiday Nail Tutorials For Festive Claws

The preparation for Christmas isn't just limited to buying presents and traveling home. Treating yourself to self care to make it through the holidays looking perfectly pristine. Christmas manicures are one way to look totally prepared for the season at any given opportunity, without having to put in much effort. Once they're done, they're done and will look beautiful for as long as your chip free nail polish lasts.

If your nail salon is fully booked for the holidays, or you just don't have the dollars or time to spare during this season, finding holiday nail tutorials is the at home answer to getting those talons looking terrific without leaving your house. Some are probably better suited to DIY professionals, but for others? Anyone with a bit of tape and a lot of patience can easily manage.

Don't let your skill set get you down: Put all that high school art creativity to good use with an at home manicure that your mom will totally love. Set aside an hour, pick your most festive nail polish colors and breathe — you're going to have the ultimate Christmas nails at the end of whichever tutorial you follow, promise.

1. Blue Snowflake

A simple but effective snowy design that is suitable for any holiday during this season.

2. Wrapped Present

Your presence is a present in itself, so why not represent that with your nail design?

3. Mixed Designs

Don't settle for one kind of design, have them all!

4. Christmas Sweater

Change the colors of this design to match your own holiday sweater.

5. Santa Claus

The matte finish on these nails stops them being OTT, but go for a gloss if you love being extra.

6. Snowflakes & Fairy Lights

This tutorial looks complicated, but it's all about layering.

7. Glitter Tips

Glitter tips at any time of year are beautiful, but this set is especially festive.

8. Wreaths & Holly

A more traditional vibe to these nails for those who love a classic Christmas.

9. Candy Canes

Stripes are a surprisingly easy nail design technique and in these colors, they're instantly Christmassy.

10. Winter Wonderland

This beautiful winter scene is definitely worth all the effort required.

11. Stars

Sometimes simple is best, as proven by this particular manicure.

12. Christmas Lights

This tutorial came out before Stranger Things, but it's still a cute Christmas design regardless of its connection to the upside down.

13. Silver & Blue

Is anyone else sick of festive colors being solely red, green and gold?

14. Christmas Trees

One of the most quintessential Christmas motifs and still one of the prettiest.

15. Gradient Snowflakes

Sometimes the best thing about nail design is the background it's done on.

16. Peanuts, Snoopy & Woodstock

Characters you know and love combined with the holidays to make for the ultimate festive manicure.

17. Snowy Trees

Another non specific winter design for anyone who doesn't celebrate Christmas but wants to represent for the holidays.

If after this extensive and diverse list you have no clue about what design you want for your nails, just give it up and treat yourself to a nail salon trip. Whether it's an at home pamper session or one at the salon, you're worth it.

Images: Nail Career Education/YouTube