When it comes to the holidays, there is no shortage of horror movies to check out. For many, even those taking place in winter, like The Shining and The Thing, are seasonal classics in their own right. Whether it is the allure of the visuals of blood-soaked snow, or a means to balance out a bit too much holiday cheer with “All I Want For Christmas Is You” playing ad nauseam on the radio, there is a certain charm to indulging in some terror while others deck the halls. Whatever the reason, it is undeniable that the winter holidays end up inspiring more horror creatives to make movies than almost any other season, arguably even Halloween.
Narrowing down seasonal horror even more, specifically to Christmas, offers up an abundance of films as well, with, honestly, many of them being pretty obvious attempts at a cash in. To help you dig your way through all the superfluous wrapping of countless movies with a shiny poster trying to draw viewers in, we have highlighted the best Christmas horror movies. We have included international, B-movies, classics, and future classics to ensure that whatever you are hoping to find under the Christmas tree will be there.
Here are the 20 best horror Christmas movies.
20
‘Better Watch Out’ (2016)
Better Watch Out follows teenager Ashley Evans (Olivia DeJonge), who is spending her holidays at work, babysitting Luke (Levi Miller) while his parents go to a Christmas party. Things turn deadly when it appears that the house is under attack by two burglars, and Ashley must fight to protect Luke and his friend. Yet, as the night goes on, there is more to the invasion than first meets the eye.
What starts as a sort of macabre Home Alone quickly transitions into a bloody and violent series of twists and turns. It’s best to go in knowing as little as possible; avoid watching the trailer or reading any reviews, as part of the movie’s charm lies in its unfolding narrative. Still, fans looking for holiday-themed horror can expect some great moments of bloody chaos and a nostalgic Christmas-themed experience, thanks to how the film pays homage to other classics.
19
‘Terrifier 3’ (2024)
Following the events of Terrifier 2, Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera) has survived Art the Clown’s previous rampage, and is attempting to rebuild her life after being released from a psychiatric facility on Christmas Eve. Trying to settle in with her Aunt Jess (Caroline Williams), her husband Greg (Daniel Roebuck), and their young daughter Gabbie (Olivia Horton), Sienna does not get her silent night with the return of Art and his accomplice Victoria (Samantha Scaffidi).
While the third film in the beloved, gore-filled franchise offers a continuation of the story, its holiday-themed brutal slayings still make it an obvious choice for this list. The practical effects remain phenomenal, with Art the Clown bringing an excess of red to Christmas as he transforms holiday items into gruesome killing tools. Additionally, the movie marked a bigger-budgeted and more excessive entry into the franchise, making it an instant fan-favorite. Those asking for gore for Christmas will certainly get their fill with Terrifier 3.
18
‘Rare Exports’ (2010)
Young Pietari Kontio (Onni Tommila) lives a simple life with his father Rauno (Jorma Tommila) near the Finnish–Russian border. However, their life is upended when a nearby American excavation crew accidentally discovers Santa, an ancient, horned figure frozen in ice. Witnessing the discovery, and realizing that other children and adults in his town are disappearing, Pietari realizes that the unearthed Santa is an evil force.
A demonic Santa with minions of evil elves makes for quite the spectacle in the latter portion of the film. The Finnish film certainly offered a new take on Christmas horror, which would influence films like Krampus, by placing emphasis on atmosphere to tell its tale of terror set in a wintry landscape. The film also offered a departure from the slasher genre, which previously dominated Christmas-themed horror movies. Rare Exports has been somewhat buried with time, but the film has an undeniable charm that makes it more deserving of being a holiday classic with an ideal mix of childlike wonder and lush dark fantasy horror.
17
‘Pooka!’ (2018)
Struggling actor Wilson Clowes (Nyasha Hatendi) reluctantly takes a job to stay afloat, playing the mascot for the newest Christmas toy sensation, a smart-buddy called Pooka that playfully switches between naught and nice mode. Yet, as Wilson faces personal struggles at home and professionally, he begins to experience mood swings similar to the toy as well as violent urges. Spiraling into madness and paranoi, Wilson soon is unable to distinguish reality from his visions of him as a killer pooka. Part of Hulu’s ‘Into the Dark’ series, Pooka! would also get a sequel in Pooka Lives! (2020).
Often overlooked, tucked into the criminally underrated ‘Into the Dark’ series on Hulu, Pooka! offers up a complex and winding tale of madness set around the holidays. A rarity in going the psychological horror route, the 2018 film has a lot of depth and fits nicely among the early ‘elevated horror’ films thanks to its twisting, surreal story, and sharp visuals. Pooka is also a rather adorable, yet awkward, Christmas monster, which adds an undeniable layer of charm.
16
‘The Advent Calendar’ (2021)
Eva (Eugénie Derouand) is struggling through the holidays, having lost her career as a celebrated dancer after an accident left her paraplegic. To try to give her something to look forward to, her best friend Sophie (Honorine Magnier) gifts her an antique Advent calendar. The calendar comes with strict rules: all the chocolates must be eaten, follow any of the calendar’s instructions, and never discard a gift given. Eva begins to play along and slowly realizes she is playing into the whims of an evil force.
A Christmas-themed take on the familiar cautionary “monkey-paw” story, The Advent Calendar offers an atmospheric, gothic horror story for the holidays. A bit of a slow burn, with only a few scares (the monster reveal near the end is particularly spectacular), it is best suited for those who prefer more drama and character-driven horror. Eugénie Derouand, notably, does a phenomenal job of capturing a morally conflicted character battling both evil and personal demons.
15
‘Blood Beat’ (1983)
Sarah (Claudia Peyton) goes with her boyfriend Ted (James Fitzgibbons) to visit his family on a small rural farm for the holidays. Clashing with Ted’s mother (Helen Benton), who also has psychic abilities that make her wary of Sarah, she does her best to try to fit in. Still, she soon finds herself having erotic visions of a samurai that begins to weigh on her conscience. The family, who owns an authentic samurai armor set, soon finds their heirloom brought to life and seeking revenge, with Sarah being the catalyst for its reawakening.
If the plot for Blood Beat sounds convoluted, that’s because it is. Part erotic thriller, part slasher, part family drama, which includes psychic battles and ancient curses, a lot is going on in the movie that shouldn’t work, but it does. Fabrice-Ange Zaphiratos’s only directed film is exemplary of how much talent has gone overlooked over the years, with the genre-bending and surreal horror of Blood Beat being a wonderful coincidence—a definite hidden gem of the ’80s, and a great one to add to your Christmas viewing.
14
‘Adult Swim Yule Log’ (2022)
In a clever piece of marketing, Adult Swim Yule Log was released with little details, and instead meant to catch viewers off guard as a regular cozy fireplace video turns into a chaotic and surreal horror movie. Here, a masked killer upsets the holiday plans of a couple, only to act as the catalyst for a series of bizarre events involving several parties. Among them is a sentient flaming log, and a man who dwells in the fireplace and offers new realities to tempt his victims.
A series of misdirects that incorporates elements of slasher with Adult Swim’s absurd humor, made for the perfect holiday treat for those who grew up with the TV network and its bizarre line-up of shows. At the same time, as many non-sequitors as the film has, it manages to create a lore around its festive terror that oddly becomes cohesive near the end. The movie proved successful enough to warrant a sequel in 2024’s Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branchin’ Out.
13
‘Dial Code Santa Claus’ (1989)
Dial Code Santa Claus (aka 3615 Code Père Noël) follows 9-year-old tech-genius Thomas, who, in his family mansion, spends his time creating all sorts of toys to fuel his imagination. On Christmas Eve, Thomas ends up accidently reaching out and asking Santa to come visit him, not realizing he had accidentally contacted a deranged killer. With his parents having to work over Christmas, Thomas must fight off a killer Santa while also trying to protect his grandpa using his many gadgets.
Fun fact, Home Alone shares so many similarities to Dial Code Santa Claus that filmmaker René Manzor sued. While it was ultimately determined to be a case of coincidence, this dark French film has developed a cult following, offering up a more macabre version of Home Alone. Here, the traps laid, the amazing sets, and the intensity of a deranged Santa make for a rather unforgettable holiday-themed horror film that is a bit more on the lighter side of the genre. If it was not for a few murders, it could be a family film. Also, the film features an early version of the internet, which is key to its plot, a bonus little history lesson within.
12
‘Await Further Instructions’ (2018)
Nick (Sam Gittins) and Annji (Neerja Naik) make a reluctant trip home for the holidays, knowing that family tensions will be running high and that Nick’s family is not accepting of Annji. After a tense night, the family wakes up to find themselves stuck inside the home, with their only clue as to what is going on the TV, running a hypnotic static that advises them to “Await Further Instructions.” At first innocuous, the TV starts to deliver instructions asking for violence, while also distorting the family’s sense of reality with bizarre waves.
Unlike others on this list, Await Further Instructions offers up a claustrophobic sci-fi horror experience with body horror elements. Of course, those who want to dig a bit deeper will find from the synopsis that it is evident that the British film also explores racial discrimination, commentary on media manipulation, and a critique of authoritarian ideology. The ending will also catch viewers off guard, offering quite the visible spectacle.
11
‘Christmas Evil’ (1980)
Lonely factory worker Harry Stadling (Brandon Maggart) idles away in a toy factory, a constant reminder of his childhood trauma where he saw a violent event followed by his mother caught with a man in a Santa suit. Becoming more obsessed with a sense of right and wrong, Harry begins to make his own naughty and nice list, watching his co-workers and the locals. Come Christmas, Harry decides he is going to punish those who have misbehaved.
With a similar set-up to Silent Night, Deadly Night, Christmas Evil, unfortunately, often gets overlooked. Taking a more dark, psychological approach to the man-turned-killer Santa formula, the draw here is getting drawn into the tragic figure that is Harry, a conflicted character perfectly played by Bradon Maggart. The movie’s gritty aesthetic, reminiscent of ’70s horror, fills a niche for those who seek more visceral terror reminiscent of the era.
