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These 10 Christmas Horror Movies Will Scare the Santa Right Outta Ya — Watch and Beware!

Entertainment

Dec 16, 2020 5:16 pm·

By Lex Briscuso

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The most wonderful time of the year can also be the spookiest — if you’re up for it. Believe it or not, the canon of holiday and Christmas horror movies out there is vast and full of hidden gems. It’s not everyone’s go-to sub-genre, of course, but considering we’re in the festive spirit, we figured you might as well hang up your Santa hat and throw on a bit of blood and guts. It goes well with presents, we promise. For all of our horror-loving friends out there, we rounded up 10 of the best holiday horror films to sink your teeth into, whether you’re feeling naughty or nice. Scroll through the gallery below to see our holiday horror movies roundup!

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Black Christmas (1974)

The one that started it all! It was all coincidental that this film happens to take place around Christmastime — because if it didn’t, well, it’d still be a sick slasher. It follows the story of the sisters of Phi Kappa Sigma, who are hunted and haunted by a man labeled The Moaner — a moniker chosen for his penchant for calling the sorority house phone and breathing heavily on the line. But he, naturally, doesn’t stay passive, and soon, he’s threatening the college girls with a bloody end.

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Krampus

This 2015 film starring Toni Collette and Adam Scott played hard into the other mythological being who surrounds everyone’s favorite holiday — a horned being named Krampus who, namely, comes after the worst of the kids while Santa is off rewarding the rest. This movie takes into account the realities of holiday life in the 2010s (annoying kids, family drama, disasters in the kitchen) and turns them on their ear. When we tell you this family is just trying to make it through the festivities, we mean it.

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Better Watch Out

Taking the babysitting-gone-wrong premise and using it to its advantage, this 2017 flick amps up on the serial killer sub-genre with a holiday edge. In fact, there’s no shortage of Christmas kitsch in this one, with one particular scene involving carolers that will really set your skin a-crawling. Plus, this movie is chock full of comedy and gore — two tropes that weirdly go well together, especially during the snowy season.

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Anna and the Apocalypse

This musical madness is sure to be one of your favorites on this list. Can you imagine tucking in for bed just before Christmas and waking up to a world of zombies? Yeah, neither can we. But this hilarious film puts you smack dab in the middle of that scenario — and lets its characters sing it out while they get in a few headshots. As bloody as it is buoyant, it’s a good one to watch if you need just a little more music in your life this holiday.

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The Nightmare Before Christmas

This one is a classic — and you better already have it in your watch list this month. The half-Halloween, half-Christmas stop motion masterpiece is emotional, catchy and totally spooky. There’s a reason why it’s still a favorite so many years after its release. Show it to your kids, your grandma or just get cuddled up with the lights out and watch it yourself. Jack Skellington is simply a seasonal requirement, y’all.

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Eyes Wide Shut

OK, fine, this isn’t entirely a horror movie, but Stanley Kubrick’s last film will definitely give you the Christmas heebie-jeebies. The famous flick starring Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise follows a couple who falls into the dealings of a murder cult after witnessing their annual ritual around the holidays. It’s definitely a sexy one, if you’re going for that vibe, but we will say: This one will have you seeing New York City and its underbelly in a whole new light.

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Jack Frost

This cheesy slasher is sure to please if you’re looking for a mindless, fun film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Instead of a devious Santa, we’ve got a snowman in his place and he’s ready to mess the holidays right up. He is, in fact, a serial killer who gets in a car wreck on his way to execution and in turn becomes a snow monster with a penchant for evil. Just don’t mix this one up with the Michael Keaton film of the same name that came out a year later — while scary in its own right, it’s certainly not this.

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Black Christmas (2019)

This update on the 1974 original hit theaters in 2019 to loads of both positive and negative discourse. Like its predecessor, it follows a group of college would-be victims who decide to fight back. The film features a very apropos overhaul on the original plotline, based firmly in some of the biggest societal issues we currently face. Combine commentary on gender and a killer cast of up-and-coming actresses and, well, you’ve got yourself a ~terrible~ Christmas slasher.

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Gremlins (1984)

This classic horror comedy doesn’t exactly revolve around Christmas, but it does begin there. A father decides to give the cute yet complicated Gizmo to his son as a holiday gift … but that doesn’t totally go as planned. The rules are simple: Keep them in the dark, don’t get them wet, and never feed them after midnight — especially not on Christmas.

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Wind Chill

Renowned actress Emily Blunt stars in this 2007 thriller that follows two college students sharing a ride home for the holidays. Naturally, things go a bit awry. An interesting role for the star way before her A Quiet Place days, this movie will ruin the holiday commute for you forevermore. Maybe stay home this year.