Once December rolls around, we're almost exclusively inundated with a particular clique of nail polish: moody, practically black shades of purple, deep reds to match a rich pour of merlot, and seasonally festive

pairings like candy cane red and white. Going to the dark side (of the nail polish spectrum, that is) is usually just assumed this time of year, but it doesn't necessarily have to be that way. 

Of course, we love our collection of berries, emeralds, and plums just as much as anyone (going deeper and darker just feels festive, after all!), but we're also fans of bending the rules a bit and prioritizing any shade of nail polish we want. As long as we love it, we want to wear it this December. Since we spend the entire year testing and vetting nail polish, we're sharing all of the standouts and the exact hues we have on our December It list—even if we plan on wearing them well into the new year, too. From juicy shades of red to creamy shades of brown, we're sharing our top 20 December nail polish picks below. Keep scrolling!