Nail Your Christmas Look with These Turtle-Themed Designs
fact checked & review by
Dr. Partho Kumar Shaha
Veterinarian (DVM)
The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.
Christmas is right around the corner, and it’s the perfect time to add a little holiday flair to your nails!
If you’re a turtle lover like me, why not combine your favorite reptiles with festive nail art?
I’ve gathered some adorable and creative turtle-themed Christmas nail designs that’ll get you feeling merry and bright.
Gear up for a Shell-tastic Christmas!
10 Turtle Christmas Nail Design Ideas
1. Festive Turtle Shell
Items Needed:
- Red and green nail polish
- Thin nail art brush
- Gold or silver glitter polish
- Clear topcoat
How to Do It:
- Paint your nails alternating in red and green as a base.
- Use a thin brush to outline turtle shell patterns (hexagons) on each nail with a contrasting color (green on red nails and red on green nails).
- Add gold or silver glitter along the shell edges to create a sparkling effect.
2. Santa Hat Turtle
Items Needed:
- Red, white, and green nail polish
- Thin nail art brush
- Clear topcoat
How to Do It:
- Paint your nails a solid Christmas red as the base.
- On one accent nail, draw a small turtle at the tip.
- Add a Santa hat on the turtle’s head using red and white polish.
- Use a thin brush for details like the hat’s fluffy brim.
- Apply a clear topcoat to seal the design.
3. Christmas Lights Shell
Items Needed:
- Green and black nail polish
- Bright colors (yellow, red, blue) for lights
- Thin nail art brush
- Clear topcoat
How to Do It:
- Paint your nails green to mimic a turtle shell.
- Draw a thin black string using a nail art brush across the nails.
- Add small colorful dots along the string to represent Christmas lights.
- Use a clear topcoat to make the lights pop.
4. Snowy Turtle
Items Needed:
- White, light blue, and green nail polish
- Glitter polish (optional)
- Thin nail art brush
- Clear topcoat
How to Do It:
- Paint your nails with a white or light blue base to represent snow.
- On one nail, draw a small green turtle in the middle.
- Add tiny white dots or glitter to mimic snowfall around the turtle.
- Seal the design with a clear topcoat.
5. Turtle Candy Cane Nails
Items Needed:
- Red and white nail polish
- Green nail polish for turtle
- Thin nail art brush
- Clear topcoat
How to Do It:
- Paint most of your nails with red and white candy cane stripes (diagonal red lines over a white base).
- On one accent nail, paint a small green turtle.
- Add the candy cane pattern to the turtle’s shell for a fun twist.
- Finish with a topcoat to make it shine.
6. Holiday Gift Turtle
Items Needed:
- Red, green, and gold nail polish
- Thin nail art brush
- Clear topcoat
How to Do It:
- Paint your nails with a green or red base.
- On one accent nail, paint a small turtle holding a tiny wrapped Christmas gift.
- Use gold polish to add sparkle to the gift wrapping.
- Apply a topcoat to protect the design.
7. Glittery Turtle Christmas Tree
Items Needed:
- Green and glittery polish (gold, silver)
- Thin nail art brush
- Clear topcoat
How to Do It:
- Paint your nails green as a base.
- On one nail, draw a turtle with a Christmas tree pattern on its shell.
- Add glitter polish to the “tree” for a sparkling ornament effect.
- Seal with a clear topcoat.
8. Turtle in a Christmas Sweater
Items Needed:
- Red, green, and white polish
- Thin nail art brush
- Clear topcoat
How to Do It:
- Paint your nails with a red or green base.
- On one accent nail, draw a turtle wearing a cozy Christmas sweater with small white snowflakes or reindeer.
- Use a thin brush for sweater details and patterns.
- Finish with a clear topcoat to add shine.
9. Wreath and Turtle Combo
Items Needed:
- Green, red, and white nail polish
- Thin nail art brush
- Clear topcoat
How to Do It:
- Paint your nails in a festive green or red base.
- On one accent nail, draw a Christmas wreath using a green base and red dots for berries.
- Add a small turtle crawling through the wreath on one nail for a cute touch.
- Seal the design with a clear topcoat.
10. Turtle and Reindeer Duo
Items Needed:
- Brown, green, and red nail polish
- Thin nail art brush
- Clear topcoat
How to Do It:
- Paint half of your nails with a green base for the turtle designs and the other half with brown for the reindeer.
- On the green nails, paint a small turtle with a holiday vibe (e.g., wearing a Santa hat).
- On the brown nails, paint a reindeer face with antlers and a red nose.
- Alternate the turtle and reindeer designs on each nail for a fun, festive look.
- Finish with a clear topcoat.
About Author
Muntaseer Rahman started keeping pet turtles back in 2013. He also owns the largest Turtle & Tortoise Facebook community in Bangladesh. These days he is mostly active on Facebook.