10 Christmas Hairstyles for Curly Hair
Ten Christmas hairstyles for curly hair — defined curls, pineapples, twist-outs and braided crowns dressed with festive sparkle, each built to hold all night.
In this article · 11
- 1\. Defined Curls With a Jeweled Clip
- 2\. High Pineapple Puff With a Velvet Ribbon
- 3\. Twist-Out With Gold Cuffs
- 4\. Half-Up Curly Top Knot With a Red Bow
- 5\. Braided Curly Crown With Holly Pins
- 6\. Side-Swept Curls With a Crystal Barrette
- 7\. Low Curly Ponytail With a Velvet Scrunchie
- 8\. Curly Updo With Face-Framing Curls
- 9\. Wash-and-Go With Sparkle Clips
- 10\. French Curl Braids With Gold Thread
- Narrowing Down Your Perfect Christmas Hairstyle for Curly Hair
Curly hair is the easiest hair to dress up for Christmas, because the texture does half the work: the volume is already there, the shape is already there, and one festive detail is all it takes to look party-ready. The ten looks below are built for curls specifically — defined patterns, pineapple puffs, twist-outs and braided crowns — not adapted from straight-hair styles, and each one tells you how long it takes, what it survives, and what to wear it with. Every style here either defines the curl pattern and dresses it with a single statement piece, or gathers the curls into a shape that holds all evening. If your hair is short, our Christmas hairstyles for short hair cover the pixie and bob versions, our Christmas hairstyles for medium hair and our Christmas hairstyles for long hair cover the longer lengths, our Christmas party hairstyles cover every length for the big night, and our Christmas hairstyles cover the whole December calendar.
1. Defined Curls With a Jeweled Clip
Defined curls with a jeweled clip is the Christmas look that works with the curl pattern instead of fighting it. The mechanism is definition plus one detail: curl cream worked through soaking-wet hair, followed by gel and a low-heat diffuse, sets each curl into a defined spiral that holds its shape, and a single jeweled clip pinning one side back gives the style a deliberate, dressed-up finish. Because the curls themselves are the shape, there is nothing to fall out of place all evening, and the clip stays put on textured hair far better than it does on smooth hair.
How to do it: Work leave-in conditioner and curl cream through soaking-wet hair, then smooth gel over the top. Diffuse on low heat until the curls are completely dry, scrunch out the gel cast, and pin one side back with a jeweled clip, keeping the other side free. Mist lightly with hairspray from arm's length.
Time: About 15 minutes plus drying time. Best for: All curl types, shoulder length and longer. Outfit pairing: Velvet dress, gold jewelry, ankle boots.
2. High Pineapple Puff With a Velvet Ribbon
The high pineapple puff with a velvet ribbon is the fastest genuinely festive curly look, because the ribbon carries the occasion. The mechanism is the high loose anchor: gathering all the curls into a high, loose puff puts the weight on top, where it cannot slide, while the curls spill forward in a full, rounded shape and the wide red ribbon covers the elastic and reads as Christmas instantly. It works on any curls long enough to gather, it holds through hugging and dancing because the puff is pinned into its own texture, and it protects the curl pattern instead of flattening it.
How to do it: Gather the curls high on the crown with your head tipped forward, and secure them loosely with a scrunchie so the puff stays full. Tie a wide red velvet ribbon around the base and let the ends fall. Pull out two face-framing curls at the front and fluff the puff gently at the roots.
Time: About 5 minutes. Best for: Medium to long curls, all densities. Outfit pairing: Oversized sweater, wide-leg trousers, statement earrings.
3. Twist-Out With Gold Cuffs
The twist-out with gold cuffs is the Christmas look that turns the curl definition itself into the decoration. The mechanism is the twist set: two-strand twists worked through damp hair with curl cream, left to dry fully and then unravelled, stretch the curl pattern into soft, elongated waves with built-in shine, and small gold cuffs threaded onto a few twists catch the light and make a plain twist-out read as a party style. The twist set holds longer than a wash-and-go, because each curl was shaped while it dried, so the style survives the whole evening without dropping.
How to do it: Part damp hair into sections and twist each one with curl cream, working from root to tip. Let the twists dry completely, then unravel them gently and separate each twist once for fullness. Thread two or three small gold cuffs onto twists near the face, shake the roots out, and mist lightly.
Time: About 30 minutes plus drying time. Best for: Medium to long curls and coils, medium to thick density. Outfit pairing: Silk blouse, gold jewelry, tailored trousers.
4. Half-Up Curly Top Knot With a Red Bow
The half-up curly top knot with a red bow is the curly answer to the classic half-up, because the knot carries the occasion and the curls carry the volume. The mechanism is the top anchor: gathering only the top third into a small knot puts the weight where it cannot slide, while the rest of the curls fall free behind the shoulders, and the wide red bow covers the pins and reads as Christmas instantly. It works on any curls that reach the crown, and it keeps the hairline clear all evening, because the pinned section never reaches your face.
How to do it: Take the top third of the curls, gather them high, and twist them into a small knot. Secure it with crossed bobby pins, cover the pins with a wide red bow, and pull out two face-framing curls. Leave the remaining curls down and mist lightly.
Time: About 10 minutes. Best for: Medium to long curls, all densities. Outfit pairing: Wrap dress, velvet blazer, warm gold tones.
5. Braided Curly Crown With Holly Pins
The braided curly crown with holly pins is the most festive updo on this list, because the crown is the decoration and the curls are the texture. The mechanism is the braided frame: two braids worked along the hairline from each temple and pinned together at the back hold the front clear all evening, while the remaining curls fall free below the crown, and small holly pins tucked into the braids make the style read as Christmas without a single accessory in the lengths. Curly hair holds a crown braid better than straight hair, because the texture grips the pins and the braid itself.
How to do it: Part the hair in the middle and braid a section along each side of the hairline toward the back of the head. Cross the two braids at the back and pin them together with crossed bobby pins. Tuck three small holly pins into the braids, leave the remaining curls down, and mist lightly.
Time: About 20 minutes. Best for: Medium to long curls, medium to thick density. Outfit pairing: Cocktail dress, heels, a fitted coat.
6. Side-Swept Curls With a Crystal Barrette
Side-swept curls with a crystal barrette are the glamour pick for curly hair, and they suit Christmas precisely because the sweep is set, not styled loose. The mechanism is the one-side anchor: sweeping all the curls to one side and pinning them behind the ear with a crystal barrette keeps the front clear while the curls fall over one shoulder, and the barrette's sparkle catches party lights with every turn of the head. Curls are the ideal texture for the sweep: the volume holds the shape, and the pattern hides the pin underneath.
How to do it: Define the curls and let them dry fully. Sweep all the hair to one side, smooth the smaller side behind the ear, and secure it with a crystal barrette pinned into the curl itself. Shake the curls out gently at the roots for volume and mist lightly.
Time: About 15 minutes plus drying time. Best for: Medium to long curls, all densities. Outfit pairing: Cocktail dress, heels, a fitted coat.
7. Low Curly Ponytail With a Velvet Scrunchie
The low curly ponytail with a velvet scrunchie is the relaxed Christmas look that still reads dressed up, because the scrunchie does the seasonal work. The mechanism is the low loose anchor: gathering the curls at the nape with a wide scrunchie keeps the hair off the neck and the shoulders while the curls spill freely below, and the velvet scrunchie in green or red covers the elastic and adds the festive colour in one move. The ponytail holds because the curl texture grips the scrunchie, and the low placement means it never pulls at the hairline.
How to do it: Gather the curls low at the nape, keeping the gather loose so the curls stay full. Secure them with a velvet scrunchie, pull out two face-framing curls, and loosen the hair above the scrunchie slightly for softness. Mist lightly.
Time: About 8 minutes. Best for: Medium to long curls, all textures, fine to thick. Outfit pairing: High-neck dress, statement earrings, satin blouse.
8. Curly Updo With Face-Framing Curls
The curly updo with face-framing curls is the formal Christmas option, and it suits anyone who wants an elegant look without straightening anything. The mechanism is the pinned coil: curls gathered and pinned loosely at the back hold their own shape, because each pinned curl supports the next one, while a few curls left free at the front soften the face and stop the updo reading severe. Curly hair holds an updo better than straight hair, because the texture grips the pins, and the updo lasts longer, because the curls were never forced flat.
How to do it: Gather the curls loosely at the back and pin them in place with crossed bobby pins, working from the bottom up. Leave two or three curls free at each side of the face, shape them around your finger, and pin the updo into the curl itself rather than into smooth roots. Mist lightly.
Time: About 20 minutes. Best for: Shoulder-length curls and longer, medium to thick density. Outfit pairing: Evening dress, pearl earrings, heels.
9. Wash-and-Go With Sparkle Clips
The wash-and-go with sparkle clips is the easiest way to wear defined curls down at Christmas without chasing them out of your face. The mechanism is the defined set plus accent: curl cream and gel worked through soaking-wet hair, diffused until fully dry, set each curl into a defined spiral that holds all evening, and two small sparkle clips pinning the front curls back at the temples keep the hairline clear while reading as jewelry rather than damage control. The clips hold because they are pinned into defined curls, not smooth hair, and the definition hides any pin underneath.
How to do it: Work curl cream then gel through soaking-wet hair and diffuse on low heat until completely dry. Scrunch out the gel cast, take a small section above each temple, and pin it back with a slim sparkle clip. Leave the remaining curls free and mist lightly.
Time: About 15 minutes plus drying time. Best for: All curl types, medium to long, all densities. Outfit pairing: Chunky sweater, gold jewelry, ankle boots.
10. French Curl Braids With Gold Thread
French curl braids with gold thread are the protective Christmas style, because the braids are the party and the thread is the sparkle. The mechanism is the curly-ended braid: feed-in braids worked down the head with loose, silky curls left at the ends give the volume of a blowout with the staying power of a protective style, and thin gold thread woven through two or three braids catches the light with every turn of the head. The style holds for days rather than hours, because the braids are anchored at the roots, so it is the pick for a whole weekend of Christmas events.
How to do it: Part the hair into sections and braid each one down, leaving the last few inches loose as curls. Weave thin gold thread through two or three braids near the face, secure the ends, and fluff the loose curls at the roots. Mist the curls lightly with a curl refresher.
Time: About 45 minutes, lasts several days. Best for: Medium to long curls and coils, medium to thick density. Outfit pairing: Bold earrings, a bright lip, a tailored jacket.
Narrowing Down Your Perfect Christmas Hairstyle for Curly Hair
Choose by three filters, in this order: your time, whether you want the curls up or down, and whether you want an accessory or a set finish. If you have five minutes, take the high pineapple puff with a velvet ribbon or the wash-and-go with sparkle clips. If you want the curls down with a polished finish, the defined curls with a jeweled clip or the side-swept curls with a crystal barrette carry the party feel on shape alone. If you want the hairline clear all evening, pick the half-up curly top knot with a red bow, the braided curly crown with holly pins, or the low curly ponytail with a velvet scrunchie. If you have a whole weekend of events, the French curl braids with gold thread hold for days. Whatever you pick, do the dance test before guests arrive: shake your head side to side for thirty seconds and check the hairline and the clips. If it holds, it will hold through midnight. For other curl lengths, our short curly hairstyles and our curly shag haircut cover the shorter cuts, and for the big night itself, our Christmas party hairstyles carry the same logic through to the last dance.
