Christmas nail art can be lots of fun, but it can be kind of a bummer once the season comes and goes, and you're left with the rest of winter without any holiday inspiration for your nail art until Valentine's Day. But who says that the Christmas festivities have to vanish from your nails just because the 25th of December is behind you until next year? Holiday nail art can and should be enjoyed throughout the winter, not just from Thanksgiving to Christmas; so if you're looking for a few nail art ideas to use in the post-Christmas winter, then here's what you need to know.

Pine Trees

Sure, doing intricate Christmas tree art — lights, presents, and a star on top — will garner some weird looks in the middle of January, but a simple pine tree is a great symbol of winter and can make you feel Christmassy without seeming odd to anyone else. After all, pine trees are one of the few trees that last all winter long without losing their color — a tribute to life in harsh weather, not just a shorthand for holly and presents. To celebrate this Christmas icon without seeming out-of-season, ensure that the background is a neutral winter color (such as a light blue or white) and that you repress the urge to dab any twinkling lights on your tree.

Candy Canes

Going around with candy canes curling along the edge of your nails is a great idea leading up to Christmas but can seem a little off in the new years. However, there is a workaround if you really enjoy seeing your nails striped with the colors of Christmas. Simply straightening out your lines to be either horizontal or vertical and making sure you flood your whole nail with that pattern allows you to keep the same basic colors and motif without immediately screaming "candy cane" at anyone who happens to notice your hands.

Reindeer

One of the most instantly recognizable symbols of Christmas and Santa Claus, reindeer are an immediate flag of you still hanging on long after the holiday is passed — and if you don't want that, you might think of avoiding Christmas wildlife altogether. However, these festive little faunae are perfect all winter long so long as you make a few tiny aesthetic changes. Choose a background that's neither red nor white (a good choice is a dark forest green or navy blue) and add a few white flecks to your reindeer to make them look a little more like their non-holiday cousins. So long as you avoid any red noses, your deer will simply be deer to every eye but yours.

You can get a tree, candy cane, reindeer, or, to name another holiday motif, snowflake nail art stencil to help you get the best nail art all winter long.