15 Thanksgiving Manicures That’ll Make You Grateful for the Inspiration

By Jaclyn Anglis November 16, 2018

Tags:

thanksgiving

Thanksgiving nails are a beautiful way to celebrate one of the year’s best holidays. If you’ve never tried Thanksgiving nail designs before, we think the upcoming holiday is the perfect excuse to start. From turkey art to plaid prints, the options for your ultimate Thanksgiving manicure are virtually endless.

Thanksgiving Nail Designs

When you think about cute Thanksgiving nails, one of the first things that probably pops into your head might be a turkey. A quintessential centerpiece for any Thanksgiving dinner table, the beaked beauty certainly makes a great potential option for your Thanksgiving nail designs. But don’t feel like you have to include the bird in your beautiful nails just because it’s Turkey Day. Plaid nail art, maize designs, and even Despicable Me’s Minions can all make fabulous appearances in your Thanksgiving-themed nails, quickly turning them into the envy of the whole party. Photos of the best Thanksgiving nails are all the proof you need.

That’s why if you know a great nail technician, it’s better to book an appointment for your Thanksgiving nails sooner rather than later. After all, lots of people want adorable nails for the holiday season, so make sure you don’t miss your chance to get a design you really love that you can’t do for yourself at home. That said, if you consider yourself to be skilled with your nail polish and brush, there’s nothing stopping you from creating your own art with DIY Thanksgiving nails. But of course, not all of us are interested in the most elaborate Thanksgiving nail designs — which is why there are plenty more low-key options for you to choose from.

Thanksgiving Nail Colors

If you want to have Thanksgiving nails this year but would prefer to keep your style a little more subtle and relaxed, don’t feel pressured to try more extravagant nail art. There are so many colors of Thanksgiving that you can choose from to create a much simpler and minimalistic manicure without all the big embellishments. As you might imagine, some of the best fall nail colors include ones that complement the Thanksgiving holiday, such as copper, allspice, and gold. So when you’re on the hunt for Thanksgiving nail color ideas, it never hurts to keep the seasonal beauty of autumn in mind.

For example, Zoya Autumn Nail Polish ($10, Amazon) may be the perfect warm copper tone for waving hello to guests visiting your home on Thanksgiving. Or maybe Duri Cranberry Crush Nail Polish ($5.99, Amazon) could make a great choice for the lovely cranberry nails you’ve always wanted to try. Perhaps the Alloya Natural Pumpkin Spice Nail Polish ($16.60, Amazon) just might look perfect right next to a delicious pumpkin pie recipe. There’s only one way to find out!

Scroll below to see some of the best Thanksgiving fingernails on the internet, then click on the circular buttons below your favorite image to share it instantly with friends and family on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest!

Thanksgiving Turkey Nail Art

Instagram/@nailart_bygracie
Share this:
Thanksgiving Turkey Nail Art

If you're on the hunt for unique turkey nail designs, this lovely manicure just might be the perfect fit for you. Shared by Instagram user @nailart_bygracie, this photo proves that turkey nail art designs don't have to be boring or cliché. We simply can't get enough of that cute turkey outline peeking out between the lovely plaid prints. An upgraded version of the fingerprint turkey dot art we all used to do back in our school days, this is a much-welcomed masterpiece that we'd be proud to show everyone around the dinner table on the holiday.
Plaid Nails Designs

Instagram/@londonbrolly
Share this:
Plaid Nail Art With Leaves

We wish that we could take a plaid nail art tutorial just so we could learn to create a manicure that looked exactly like this one! Shared by Instagram user @londonbrolly, this manicure is a flawless example of embracing all things fall during the season. From the plaid prints to the adorable leaves, we have to say that we're especially impressed by the color scheme throughout these unique Thanksgiving nails. It's certainly bold to add shades of bright pink into any holiday mix, but it's definitely working in the case of the lovely nail designs here.
Plaid Nail Tutorial

Instagram/@preppyears
Share this:
Plaid Nails With Foxes

These Thanksgiving nails are a perfect example of thinking outside the box for the holiday. We love the unique addition of the fox to this manicure, as well as the lovely gray shades interpersed throughout. But of course, we can't overlook the simple power of plaid nails for Thanksgiving — they definitely take center stage with this fabulous beauty treatment. Shared by Instagram user @preppyears, this Thanksgiving manicure probably has fans and followers from all over wanting a plaid nails tutorial for the upcoming holiday — with adorable fox faces hopefully included.
Plaid Nail Art

Instagram/@crystalbubbles
Share this:
Red Plaid Nails With Cartoons

It's easy to think that all red plaid nail art has to share a similar design scheme. But this plaid nail design shows that these types of manicures can include adorable additions, such as beloved cartoon characters. In this case, Snoopy and Woodstock make a super-cute appearance next to the plaid nail art designs. The manicure, shared by Instagram user @crystalbubbles, proves that the possibilities are pretty much endless when it comes to dressing up your plaid fingernails for the Thanksgiving holiday. So why not add your favorite cartoon characters to the mix on your Thanksgiving nail designs?
Cranberry Nails

Instagram/@love.ur.nails
Share this:
Cranberry Nails With Rhinestones

If you've always wanted to experiment with cranberry nails but never got the chance to do it, Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to try it out. After all, it's not Thanksgiving without a bowl of cranberry sauce at the dinner table, right? Shared by Instagram user @love.ur.nails, this manicure proves that a color inspired by the seasonal fruit can look pretty darn beautiful on nails, too. As an aside, we can't get enough of the gorgeous rhinestones on top of one of these nails — it adds a perfect extra pop to an already eye-catching color. So stunning!
Easy Thanksgiving Nail Designs

Instagram/@beautyartistemma
Share this:
Cranberry Nails

If you're feeling a bit skeptical about how fantastic cranberry nails look for Thanksgiving, just check out this festive picture. Shared by Instagram user @beautyartistemma, this Thanksgiving manicure shows how cheerful the shade can be, especially when it's next to fabulous pieces of holiday decor. It just goes to show that you don't need complicated Thanksgiving nail art to celebrate the day. It's amazing how well this color complements the artistic turkey piece next to it, especially with the shades of red in the pretty design. We can only imagine how these nails look next to actual cranberry sauce!
Maize Nails

Instagram/@coyarose
Share this:
Maize Nails

When you think of adorable nails, corn might not be the first thing that pops into your head. But judging by these gorgeous maize nails, we're willing to give corn a second thought. Shared by Instagram user @coyarose, this manicure is all the evidence you need that the best Thanksgiving nail designs can be found in unexpected places. After all, who would've possibly guessed that inspiration might be discovered in a humble cornstalk? A gorgeous and fabulously fall-friendly design, this Thanksgiving manicure would be the perfect way to bid farewell to autumn after the season draws to a close.
Thanksgiving Fingernails

Instagram/@thepolishedbean
Share this:
Corn Nail Art

Yet another example of stunning maize nails, this manicure shows how absolutely gorgeous all the colors of Thanksgiving can be. While we'll certainly miss autumn and everything about it once the season is over, we're definitely looking forward to the precious moments yet to come on this Thanksgiving. Shared by Instagram user @thepolishedbean, this striking look shows that a fabulous Thanksgiving manicure can become part of just one of those fabulous memories in the years to come. After all, who could ever forget Thanksgiving nails that are as a-maize-ing as these! (We resisted as long as we could, but we simply couldn't resist sticking that corn-y pun in there.)
Thanksgiving Minions Nail Art

Instagram/@allethastutz
Share this:
Thanksgiving Minions Nail Art

You might not expect a Minions manicure to be so cute, but this design shows that these hilarious characters from Despicable Me definitely have it in them to be festive on any holiday. Shared by Instagram user @allethastutz, this nail art proves that even cartoon characters can be part of a fantastic manicure for Thanksgiving. We also love that even though these guys are all dressed up for the occasion, they still show off their signature goofy facial expressions. There's nothing wrong with having a little fun on Thanksgiving — and these Minions are happy to show it!
Nail Art Thanksgiving Designs

Instagram/@totowonderland
Share this:
Thanksgiving Acrylic Nail Designs

These bold nails for Thanksgiving are pretty much the definition of eye-popping style. From the appealing base color to the bright turkey nail art designs on top, it's clear that this manicure is here to make a statement at the dinner table during the holiday season. We can pretty much guarantee that stiletto nails — like the striking ones seen here — will not go unnoticed by anyone in attendance. Shared by Instagram user @totowonderland, these fabulous acrylic nails are basically guaranteed to get all of your party guests talking — in a good way, of course.
Starry Nail Polish

Instagram/@nails_by_jrivera
Share this:
Colors of Thanksgiving on Acrylics

As with most acrylic nails, this fabulous look is certainly not for the faint of heart. Shared by Instagram user @nails_by_jrivera, this stunning Thanksgiving manicure boasts the very best of all the autumn colors in a shiny, shimmery layout — and it's sure to catch anyone's eye. It certainly doesn't hurt that these are gorgeous coffin nails, either. One of the most striking nail layouts around, this specific style proves that the holidays certainly have room for a little exciting pop on your nails.
Thanksgiving Nail Stickers

Amazon/Southern Country Nails
Share this:
Thanksgiving Nail Stickers

Want to impress everyone you know on the holiday without setting foot in a salon or picking up a nail brush yourself? Three words: Thanksgiving nail stickers. Available on Amazon, these Autumn Fall Leaves Nail Art Decals ($3.99, Amazon) are just one wonderful example of simple Thanksgiving nails that shouldn't take you more than a few minutes to apply. And as you can see, the results of this short little DIY "manicure" pretty much speak for themselves. The best part? They're super easy to take off right after the holiday — as soon as you're ready to move on to winter nails, that is.
Easy Thanksgiving Nails

Instagram/@katv865
Share this:
Beautiful and Easy Thanksgiving Nails

In the mood for lovely-yet-simple Thanksgiving nails this year? Look no further than this gorgeous manicure, courtesy of Instagram user @katv865. Full of the most beautiful colors of Thanksgiving — such as fabulous shades of orange — this look proves that you don't have to go all out with nail designs and intrinsic nail art to make your manicure look spectacular. On the contrary, some of the most low-key manicures might be some of the most beautiful looks of them all. And when a little extra shimmer is added, you can never go wrong.
Fall Thanksgiving Nail Art

Instagram/@channiepoo
Share this:
Thanksgiving Gel Nails

If you're looking for a Pinterest-inspired manicure for Thanksgiving, you can find it right here with this fabulous gel manicure. Shared by Instagram user @channiepoo, this look is the definition of elegance and style — with a little extra shimmer and sparkle to boot. Although this is relatively simple nail art, we think that's a lovely way to celebrate the end of the autumn season and the beginning of a delicious feast for Thanksgiving Day. Not to mention the color scheme on these gel nails is absolutely perfect for the occasion — who wouldn't want to catch a glimpse of this manicure from across the table?
Easy Thanksgiving Nail Art Designs

Instagram/@juliajor
Share this:
Thanksgiving Nails With a Message

If you're looking for cool nail designs for Thanksgiving that include inspiring words, you might want to invest in a nail stamping plate, such as one from the Born Pretty Store. With the "Give Thanks" stamp on display in this manicure, it's hard to miss the important message of gratitude that the wearer is trying to convey for the holiday. Shared by Instagram user @juliajor, this manicure proves that nail art can be just as meaningful as other forms of artistic expression — especially when it comes to some of the most important things in life.