New Year’s Eve has long been the best excuse to go over the top—whether we’re talking about champagne consumption, unapologetically flashy sequin dresses, over-the-top metallic makeup, and getting to partake in some glitzy NYE-themed nail trends. While New Years Even is probably going to look a little bit different this year thanks to the pandemic and strict social distancing protocols still in place in much of the country, that doesn’t mean we have to forgo all of our favorite end-of-the-year celebration traditions altogether—and that absolutely includes our beauty get-up. Whether you’ll be toasting farewell to 2020 over the festive Zoom party or hosting a small (and safe) get-together at home, why not take the time to indulge in some NYE-themed nail looks to celebrate the incoming of 2021 (and, finally, the end of a decidedly very turbulent 2020.)

Whether you’re into elaborate nail art decals, glitter-heavy manis, or this season’s velvet nail trend, there are plenty of ways to get a little festive with your NYE manicure right from the comfort of your own home. From ridiculously easy ready-to-wear press-on nails to sparkly hues, there’s no shortage of holiday-ready options to decorate your nails to ring in the new year. To help get you in the spirit for the upcoming holiday, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite polishes, press-on’s and nail art decor to help you get the nail look of your holiday dreams without stepping foot in the salon this year.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

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Courtesy of PopSockets.

PopSockets Nails & PopGrip Finally 2021

This two-in-one PopSockets nail kit is a serious 2020 mood. The set comes with a festive PopGrip and press-on nail sets emblazoned with “finally 2021.” This low maintenance set is perfect for last-minute manis at home.

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Courtesy of Essie.

Essie ExprEssie Quick Dry Nail Color in “Now or Never”

Black nail color is the perfect canvas for festive, NYE-ready glitter and nail art—and of course, it also looks great worn alone as it too. This quick-drying formula is perfect for a quick mani or touching up small chips.

Buy: Essie Quick Dry Nail Color $8.97

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Courtesy of Dashing Diva.

Dashing Diva Snowshoe Glitter Gel Strips

If you love a minimalist mani upgraded with glitter and jewel-like embellishments but hate the mess and are avoiding the nail salon for safety reasons, these foolproof manicure gel strips will not let you down.

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Courtesy of Butter London.

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Courtesy of Naildrobe.

Naildrobe New Years’ Eve Nail Decals

These salon-quality stick-on nail decals give any basic monochrome mani an instant festive makeover without the mess or hassle.

Buy: Naildrobe NYE Nail Decals $8.99

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Courtesy of Olive & June.

Olive & June Nail Polish in “Cosmic”

This newly launched shimmer shade is the perfect subtle yet celebratory hue for NYE festivities. The mellow metallic hue mimics the sprtiz and bubble of champagne, but doesn’t scream holiday either.

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Courtesy of Lliyhh.

Velvet Flocking Powder Nail Art Polish

One of 2020’s biggest holiday nail trends is textural, velvet-like manicures. You can master the look at home with these easy-to-use dipping powders, and choose the color of your choice to match either your outfit or your mood.

Buy: Velvet Flocking Powder Nail Art Polish $4.59

Twice a year, Bath & Body Works pulls out all the stops and discounts holiday and everyday favorites up to 75 percent off, which new discounts throughout the week. The Bath & Body Works Semi-Annual sale for holiday 2020 is no different—actually, it might be even better. We’ve got the details on all the goods so you can game-plan your shopping trip.

Of course, deals will be online as well as in-store so if you feel safer shopping from your couch, you can still stock up on Bath & Body Works favorites. Now’s the chance to score the beloved holiday fragrances before they’re gone (until next year), as well as throwbacks including Secret Wonderland, Honeysuckle and Sensual Amber brought back just for this sale. Christmas body care will be just $4.95 and select Christmas 3-Wick Candles will be $11.95.

Source: Instagram

For the best of the best deals, you’ll want to dig for those 75 percent off products. These include body care, candles, hand soaps and tons of non-holiday items you’ll want to use all-year round. You’ll even be able to find some best-selling fall body scare scents and ones you haven’t smelled for months. It’s basically like a rummage sale where you never know exactly what you’ll find.

The sale begins Saturday, December 26. If you’re shopping in store, don’t forget your face mask and hand sanitizer and maybe even consider going on off hours to avoid the crowds. Or, there’s always delivery! As much as we want to shop and treat ourselves this year (we deserve it), we also have to stay safe too. Set your iCal and get ready to get your haul on. Then, have big New Year zoom with friends to share exactly what you got.

Why does New Year’s Eve evoke such strong feelings in people? It was the best of times, it was the worst of times – thanks for the insight, Charles Dickens. The real question is: how do I bulletproof myself either way?

I’m all about turning annoying situations into amazing experiences. New Year’s Eve is at the top of that list. The societal importance attached to this evening makes it annoying, while I want amazing.

Follow my 30-minute formula to set yourself up for happiness, success, and peace on the most overrated night of the year.

Don’t Try (1 Minute)

The adage holds true. The harder you try, the harder you fall. So, don’t try. At our age, what will be, will be. Take it as it comes. Whatever happens, New Year’s Eve does not define you, the year ahead, your relationships, or your life’s significance.

If you are alone, revel in it. At a small party? Talk to everyone. And if you’re somewhere in-between, don’t sweat it. Just breathe in and out each moment and be thankful when your head hits the pillow to go to sleep.

Wear One Amazing Thing (2 Minutes)

Wear one amazing thing at New Year’s Eve. It could be a statement necklace, sexy underwear, outrageous shoes, or your itsy-bitsy polka-dotted bikini. For me, it’s my Heidi Daus necklace with my pajamas. There is only one rule: You must love it. If other people notice, that’s nice. If they don’t, so what?

This is not what-you-should-do kind of advice, nor am I trying to make you wear that expensive pair of pants that never fit right.

This is all about the item you look at lovingly and yet it stays in its wrapper. The item that makes you sigh and say, “Someday.” Today is that day. Your happiness is that special occasion, especially at home in your pajamas. The litmus test? It must make you radiate.

Make Amends (5 minutes)

Amends is another word that elicits a strong response. In 12-step programs it falls at the ominous ninth step which changes everything. The concept behind amends is owning up to your responsibility, right or wrong, and saying you are sorry.

I should note that this does not have to be a direct amends. If you stole something, make an anonymous donation on-line to a charity. You can sign-up to volunteer in honor of someone if they are no longer with us.

Or, you can write a letter and burn it. You can send a text or an email and say: “Sorry for anything I did to hurt you in the past and Happy New Year.” Just let go of a remorse that has stayed with you by setting it right.

Have a Plan for New Year’s Day (2 Minutes)

While it’s always fun to ‘wing it’ and see where the moment takes you, bulletproofing needs a plan. A simple plan works best: get out of the house for a cup of coffee, go to the gym, take a walk, binge watch a Netflix series. Having one item accomplished sets a tone. I said it, I did it.

Choose One Achievable Resolution (3 minutes)

Don’t panic about having a New Year’s resolution – you can steal mine and drink more! I’ve used it for about 10 years now, and it’s like a magic charm. I didn’t specify wine, vodka, or water. And you know what? Either way I can do it. Mischief managed, I set myself up for success.

Pen the State of You (7 Minutes)

Take seven minutes – it’s helpful to use a timer to track yourself – and write down your hopes, dreams, and fears. You’ll be surprised when you start repeating yourself at the four-minute mark.

Do it anyway. Use it as a baseline for the year ahead – to remember where you started and to get rid of the noise in your head.

Tackle One Item on Your to Do List (10 Minutes)

The dreaded to do list we write each year consists of nothing more than the things we need to write down because we hate doing them so much we choose to forget them.

Just do one. The hack is that when you do it, it loses its power and stops zapping your time. Write that thank you note, clean your sock draw, put your bills on auto-pay, just take the action and stop thinking about it.

What’s Next?

This entire list can be done in 30 minutes. Start the new year with a plan, clear mind and promises you have already kept.

Love and joy for the New Year and all year long.

What is the amazing thing you will wear on New Year’s Eve, and will it include pajamas? What is your achievable resolution? How much time did it take you to complete these 7 action items? Please share in the comments below!

Mindfulness pushes our hearts to get involved in all our interactions. We often have a difference of opinion with friends and loved ones, but when so many children and adults are hurting, it is time to search for answers.

Technology brings communication closer, but as human beings, we seem to be emotionally depleted. Our physical world is smaller, but we know little about the inner world of others.

Make Mindfulness a Habit of the Heart

Maybe the quick jokes or heartfelt quotes on Facebook have a different and deeper meaning. Maybe our simple comment about the weather, or what we are planning for dinner, is actually an attention getter.

So much is freely spoken, yet so little is brought up for review or reflection. Is it our fear of the truth, which keeps us at a distance?

We want to be happy, of course, and everyone agrees to that statement. What we bicker about is how to get to that state and maintain it. The small comfort of praise, along with a dose of attention from coworkers or friends, lightens the heart the fastest.

Problems Bring Us Down

If life is handing us lemons, then our state of bliss begins to fall away, one piece at a time – unless others make an effort to support us. We downplay hurts or turn them into jokes.

I wonder if technology serves to cover our deeper feelings of loneliness and despair. We are all so close, yet so distant from others. We don’t have the time to give one-on-one visits to people.

Usually, we include a group in our correspondences, which may work on good days, but not during an unhappy time. Holidays are those times of the year when we must think about and include others. Mindfulness is crucial.

Older adults have much on their minds, along with memories and life disappointments. Health matters plague them, and they may not feel wanted. They want to be included like everyone else, but we miss the in-depth knowledge if we don’t cultivate some mindfulness towards them.

There is no shortcut to understanding the needs of another. Some elders make their own festivities by inviting a group of friends, or one or two.

We are very complicated, unique beings, even though we may laugh at the same jokes and have similar life experiences. Each of us faces a variety of challenges, along with a variety of attitudes towards problems. We view problems with a different lens and arrive at alternate conclusions. It leaves us in disarray.

We suffer through loneliness and or insecurities. But at any age, we can believe we are not enough even though we always are. Don’t sabotage your self. There are too many people out there who really need you.

Share Pain and Fear

There are few of us who want to share our faults or fears with others. We don’t get likes or praise on Facebook from deficiencies. If you apply for a job, and add qualities you lack, you won’t get the job. It makes us feel good when we are around others, but when we are alone, we struggle.

Older people, especially, feel lonely and sometimes worthless because they can’t accomplish tasks they used to be able to do. I know this can lead to anger and despair. That is the time we might need a real live person, who will listen, while we complain.

We judge our abilities against others too much. These other people are most likely embellishing the truth about who they really are. They downplay their faults, as much as we do. If we care about our friends, we must take notice of the meaning between the words they say.

There are no guarantees in life, but the more we stay emotionally connected to others, the more we keep the senses alive. A quick verbal interaction won’t tell the emotional story.

What the Heart Needs Is Love

The world is difficult to navigate but friends and family make it easier. The human touch or voice keeps us connected to others. We want the physical touch, as well as to see the human face and hear the voice in all of its emotional tones.

We can do so much with a kind word, smile, or hug than all the printed papers in the world. What power the human body and mind have when they choose to activate!

It is easy to get disconnected from others when one feels alone and unworthy. It’s time to wake up, see the pain beneath the surface, and reach out to family and friends.

For me, a great person who, perhaps, will never receive any praise for their actions, is the one who sees through my pain, and my shortcomings, and loves me regardless of my insecurities.

Whenever we take that kind of time and give it to another, we have given a priceless gift of love. Empathy should be taught at home, be reinforced at school, and applied consistently.

Don’t ever underestimate your value. There are people in our lives, who would be devastated and lonely without us. Others depend on our love, as we do theirs. Be watchful for the pain others attempt to hide and use your senses to guide you. Respond with empathy.

We can’t forget how to be a friend or how much it means to express our mindfulness of others. I know hospitals and schools love to have older people get involved with reading or talking to kids because so many children don’t have or see grandparents.

Life is not always helping those we want to help but helping those in need within our reach. Be mindful of those who need you.

What does mindfulness mean to you? Do you attempt to practice it in your relationships? What have you noticed as result of your mindfulness? Please share your stories in the comments below.

As we know after all these years, it’s challenging to maintain a commitment to change. And it gets worse as we age. Younger adults achieve their goals to readapt at a percentage twice as high as those over 60. This is true with New Year’s resolutions as well.

We could rephrase ‘Live and Learn’ to ‘Conscious but Change Avoidant.’ It’s not just me and you. It’s not even just older folks. Avoidance to transform is statistically startling. Overall, 90% of resolutions aren’t kept. Even that may be an optimistic figure.

More shockingly, studies indicate that 25% of all fresh resolves don’t make it a week. Clearly, that dismal record is why so many authors, bloggers and self-help instructors take time to help us discover new avenues. They seek unique roadmaps that might lead us down the path we claim we want to travel.

Rewarding yourself is not always the ‘no brainer’ it seems to be. One tactic we don’t concentrate enough energy on is reward – not reward for success, but reward for our effort. We are looking for progress, not perfection. Our determination itself deserves recognition, even if it lastly briefly.

What Do We Get from Keeping a Resolution?

There’s the bigger question as well. What do we get for keeping a resolution? Satisfaction? Less weight? Greater knowledge? Less TV? Improved strength? Healthier diet? Better use of time? More friends? Better self-esteem? Maybe.

Often, deep down we aren’t truly motivated by the end goals we assert in our resolutions. Secretly, we might even develop conscious or unconscious ways and reasons for sabotaging ourselves.

All this can become very complicated and in need of greater self-examination or professional guidance if one wishes to pursue it.

One Step at a Time

Less complicated is an on-going scheme of rewards – big or small – just for making some effort. What’s great about this method is that no one needs to know how tiny your baby-step effort is.

The thinner you can slice the efforts to earn rewards, the greater your chances are of success and enjoyment. Again, the aim is progress not perfection. If we agree that our aim is simply to try, then after the smallest exertion we have already progressed to some degree.

In the meantime, we have enjoyed a slice of life. Especially so if we choose rewards that are personally pleasurable – and neither contrary to our goals, nor based on someone else’s ideas of success and reward.

Here Are Some Reward Examples

1. Call a friend long-distance and chat over a cuppa.
2. Plan a trip (just the planning is fun – the date can be TBA).
3. Treat yourself to a ‘Maid for the Day.’
4. Get your car washed.
5. Give yourself a couple hours at the library, browsing whatever strikes your fancy: books, art and magazines. Whatever. Just people-watching there can be fun.
6. Take an extra-long nap.
7. Get together with a friend and a joke book.
8. Go bird watching (whether you can name one bird).
9. Go on a games picnic – board games instead of food. If weather is not permitting, plan a last-minute game party at a friendly coffee shop where no one must ‘host.’
10. Refurbish that ‘whatzamajigger’ item in the garage or attic or make a trip to the Salvation Army with it.
11. Buy a piece of desired new software.
12. Visit a comedy club.
13. Light a fire in the fireplace.
14. Hire a chimney sweep, so you can safely enjoy that old fireplace if it’s just sitting there unloved. (Hint: You could sneak this onto both the ‘to-do’ and reward list stimulatingly.)
15. Take a ride on a swing.
16. Go fishing.
17. Create a personal mandala.
18. Move the furniture in your home to a new position – just for a change of view.
19. Take a drive on a road you have seen but never taken – the road less traveled.
20. Treat yourself to a guilt-free hour of watching YouTube videos – just watch out that you don’t get addicted.

These rewards can be luxurious in time, money or sensation. You can adjust them to meet your pocketbook and the level of ‘effort’ you feel you have made. If you are reluctant to admit progress, let it be the reward you would offer a friend if they did the same thing.

And if you have put a resolution on your 2021 timetable – or prematurely put it to bed, more likely – consider penciling in some periodic prizes to encourage you onward.

If you resist making resolutions due to common failure rates, perhaps label a desired change with a more innocuous or contemporary sounding name. Maybe use ‘gold star’ points or ‘BSB’ (baby-step bonus) points instead. ‘Resolution’ can seem so daunting.

Still, no matter what the lingo, get the rewards in your datebook – a real date on your calendar – to enjoy yourself as deserved. The best thing about the baby-step bonuses is that you can’t lose.

With the right list, if nothing else, you are making extra time to enjoy life. And if it is something ‘more’… well, then you may get further ahead with changes than with your usual approach.

Either way, you win something. It may be like an honorable mention award for good attendance in second grade. Not a big deal, but I bet most people don’t throw that away. It’s acknowledging an effort.

I’d love to hear small rewards others have developed. Got a good one? Remember, it need not be big. And ‘inexpensive’ is an added benefit. Others may enjoy the same things as you but may not have considered the engaging power of certain activities. For now, here’s wishing you a baby-step in February.

What small rewards have you given yourself for making progress with your New Year’s resolutions? Have you been able to keep a resolution? Please share your tips and insights below.