20 Festive Nail Designs to Try for Hanukkah

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There’s so much to love about Hanukkah — from the twinkling lights of the menorah, to the mouth-watering latkes and sufganiyot, to eight nights of Hanukkah presents, to cherished Hanukkah traditions among family and friends. And then of course… there are the Hanukkah nails!

Yes, be the belle of the Hanukkah ball with some striking seasonal nail art to go along with your party outfit — whether that’s a dazzling dress or an ugly sweater. It’s a conversation starter that always takes the look to the next level, plus it’s a fun way to display your spirit right at your fingertips everywhere you go.

“I love seeing the way nails are used as a vehicle to show the festive spirit," says OPI co-founder Suzi Weiss-Fischmann. For Hanukkah, "you can’t go wrong with a solid blue nail," she says. "I also love a naked nail with a reverse French in blue or white." (For the holiday, she recommends using whites with pearly or sparkly finishes.)

Draw inspiration for your fresh set for the season from our roundup of beautiful and whimsical Hanukkah nail art ideas, from fancy and festive (shades of blue, metallics, stones, glitter) or downright literal (adorned with Jewish stars, dreidels, menorahs, and other iconic symbols of the season).

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Accent Nail

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Go with your favorite blue polish, and then top just your ring fingers with a design. Here, you’ll see confetti inspired the look.

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Blue on Blue

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As Weiss-Fischmann said, it’s hard to go wrong with blue. Try a fun twist on the classic French style with two different shades of blue.

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Darling Decals

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When in doubt, add a decal. The set here comes with a wide assortment of Hanukkah decals, so you can easily switch things up if you want, or save them for next year!

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Simple and Stunning

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For a truly elegant look, incorporate glitter into each design differently.

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Two-Tone Blues

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A look that this hits on two major trends: the reverse French (where the lower part of the nail is highlighted) and oval nails.

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Dove of Peace

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This design represents a beautiful symbol, but might be a bit more complicated to DIY. A great idea is to bring it to your nail tech to replicate!

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Hanukkah Sweater

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You’re definitely going to get all the compliments when you show up with a set as festive as these.

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Abstract Vibes

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It might look complicated, but once you start with nude nails, you can build your own wavy design how you like it.

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Classic Blue

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There’s absolutely nothing wrong with going simple as long as you go with a striking color like the one used here.

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Chrome-Like Finish

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The metallic style goes perfect with all of those wintery photos you’ll be taking.

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Navy and Silver

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With the right brushes, anyone can create this look, which combines two classic colors of the holiday.

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Blue French

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Give your French mani a beautiful blue upgrade.

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Glamorous Gradient

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Get your makeup sponge ready! Gradient looks hard to replicate, but is actually really easy to pull off, as you can see from this video.

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Swirly Tips

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The perfect Hanukkah and winter design combined. A 7mm or 9 mm brush will do the trick here

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Matte and Glossy

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The blue you use doesn’t always have to be bright. We love the hint of gray that offers a more muted tone.

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Celestial Inspo

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It’s so impressive how a little detail like a star can make all the difference.

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Blinged Out

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Go big and bold this holiday season with an ice-y cool look like this one, which is all about the diamond decals.

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Blue Wave

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Don’t want to commit to an entirely blue nail? Go subtle with just a squiggly detail.

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Understated Sparkle

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Skip the blue and go with something a little more neutral. If it feels too understated, you can always elevate it with nail pearls.

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Stained Glass

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A design that honors all the short nail wearers out there. It proves that you don’t need long nails to create something amazing.