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UM, Hanukkah is right around the corner (ish), which means it’s time to get excited about all of the things, including ~nail art~ (hey, I can’t help it if I’m obsessed with the holidays). Sure, you could choose a little dreidel or maybe a menorah, but if you’re looking for nail art ideas that aren’t literal Hanukkah decorations and are a little more abstract (read: much easier and less time-consuming), I’ve gathered 17 cool design ideas that are perfect for the occasion.

You have until Hanukkah starts (which, by the way, is December 10) to gather your supplies and practice these ideas, but no need to add one more thing to your impending holiday stresses: I broke down all the tips and best nail polish recommendations you need to copy each look so you can spend less time trying to opening the crusty old bottles of polish in your bathroom drawer and more time looking for the perfect Hanukkah game.

A post shared by MoMo-Leafgel US Chief Educator (@ohmynailsnyc) on Sep 15, 2020 at 8:42am PDT

Mixing chrome nail polish with matte nail polishes feels so wrong but looks so, so right. Start by applying a thin swipe of matte blue nail polish over a third of your nail. Then paint a swipe of chrome polish in a similar shade right next to it, slightly blending it into the edge of the matte for a cool gradient effect.

A post shared by Maddy Ayers (@maadnails) on Jun 24, 2019 at 10:01am PDT

If you’ve already got almond nails and you want to work with your nail shape, paint the tips in varying shades of blue for a Hanukkah-worthy manicure.

A post shared by Melanie (@overglowedit) on May 12, 2020 at 4:00pm PDT

We get it: Unless you’re a nail pro, painting a teeny-tiny menorah on your pinky finger is gonna be a no-go for Hanukkah. But a clean, simple mani like this with white nail polish and little twinkle stickers evokes the feeling of lit candles without all the hassle and shaky lines.

A post shared by NARINA CHAN (@narinanails) on Aug 1, 2019 at 7:28pm PDT

Speaking of shaky lines! If your Hanukkah nails have gone awry thanks to an overly ambitious idea, lean into your imperfection and turn it into an abstract design with two different shades of blue nail polish. It’ll look much cooler anyway.

A post shared by AMY LE • NAIL ARTIST (@amyle.nails) on Mar 3, 2020 at 8:13am PST

For some silvery speckled nails like this, start with two coats of sapphire nail polish, then apply a thin layer of base coat polish or foil nail glue to the areas you want to add little silver flecks. Next, press the silver transfer foil onto the areas you painted to adhere the foil to your nails. This look also features a little opal stone, but you could easily make that into gelt with some gold nail polish.

A post shared by Paintbox (@paintboxnails) on Dec 21, 2019 at 12:00pm PST

Now that we’re all comfortable using nail transfer foil, whip it out every day and wear a different look for each night of Hanukkah. For this negative nail-art design, focus the transfer foil on only the top half of the nail and leave the bottom half bare or painted with a thin coat of nude polish.

A post shared by AMY LE • NAIL ARTIST (@amyle.nails) on Apr 17, 2020 at 6:48pm PDT

For just a touch of foil that looks more like chunky glitter polish than a sheet of tinfoil, use the crinkle nail transfer foils. With a pair of tweezers, break up the foil into tiny bits and place them where you want ’em. Then seal everything with a sheer top coat.

A post shared by NARINA CHAN (@narinanails) on Mar 9, 2020 at 5:40pm PDT

Oh, you thought I was kidding when I suggested wearing a different foil nail art design for all eight nights?! As you get better at it, step up your look by combining a blue-and-white marble design with a few flecks of gold foil. To get the marbled look, swirl together your two shades of polish with a striper brush while they’re still wet.

A post shared by Olive & June (@oliveandjune) on Dec 5, 2019 at 10:53am PST

If you can paint inside the lines, you can pull off this nail art design, no prob. Grab five different shades of nail polish in Hanukkah colors, like silver and blue, and paint each nail a different shade. Honestly, the hardest part is narrowing down which five colors to use.

A post shared by Paintbox (@paintboxnails) on Jul 4, 2020 at 6:52am PDT

For a nail polish look that could pass as both Hanukkah nails and New Year’s Eve nails, look no further because this holographic nail polish is it. When you have a nail color this fun and bold, you need not add a design. See what I mean?

A post shared by Alicia Torello (@aliciatnails) on Jul 9, 2018 at 6:00pm PDT

If a traditional French manicure is not really your thing, try a more modern take for Hanukkah with these asymmetrical lines in two different shades of blue nail polish.

A post shared by Fleury Rose (@fleuryrosenails) on Sep 4, 2019 at 12:53pm PDT

Now that you’ve figured out how to do the two-tone marble nail look, add a third shade into a mix for a marbled mani like this, which also kinda looks like tie-dye nails.

A post shared by Rita Remark (@ritaremark) on Sep 23, 2020 at 6:56am PDT

If you love a good ombré nail look, try this version for Hanukkah. These negative nails with slivers of navy and silver are easier to copy than you’d think. Nail hack: Use clear office tape to keep your edges sharp and mess-free.

A post shared by Fleury Rose (@fleuryrosenails) on Sep 9, 2020 at 7:58am PDT

This design is equal parts winter nails and Hanukkah nails, which means you can wear them long after the holiday season. Instead of a darker blue, opt for a light shade of blue nail polish with metallic detailing for an icy look like this.

A post shared by MoMo-Leafgel US Chief Educator (@ohmynailsnyc) on Nov 8, 2017 at 8:32am PST

If you celebrate more than one holiday and need a design that’ll incorporate both Hanukkah and Christmas nail colors, here’s a unique idea for ya. Embellish your nails with both blue and green rhinestones for a look that feels more like jewelry than nail art.

A post shared by AMY LE • NAIL ARTIST (@amyle.nails) on Dec 11, 2019 at 7:34am PST

These deep-blue nails are made even better by the silver glitter nail polish, star stickers, and gold embellishments. Never has a nail look embodied the wintertime night sky or Hanukkah so flawlessly.

A post shared by AMY LE • NAIL ARTIST (@amyle.nails) on Sep 5, 2018 at 7:37am PDT

If you want a classic, classy Hanukkah nail look, go with these oval nails and a half-moon mani. Remember what I said about the tape trick? Yeah, that works here too.