The holidays are a time for joy, thankfulness, and other good feelings. It is a time when families and friends come together and wish well for each other and everyone else. Despite the cold outside, there is a general feeling of warmth as people join together in love and harmony.
However, this feeling of goodwill toward everyone is not a reality for some. In reality, the holidays are a tough time for some, especially with cheer being shoved in their faces. Although the season of scares has passed, there is time for some restorative horrors before the year ends. The cheery backdrop of the holiday season adds to the spooky factor when terrible things happen beneath the mistletoe.
10 The Nightmare Before Christmas Tries To Be Scary
Although not especially frightening, especially to horror fans, The Nightmare Before Christmas was originally thought to be too dark and scary for children. However, if kids did not take a liking to Nightmare Before Christmas, adults certainly have, and the film has become a classic.
The Nightmare Before Christmas perfectly blends Halloween and Christmas into a movie that can be watched during either or both holidays. The message of accepting who you are and owning up to mistakes is perfectly woven into the cartoon, and it is a fantastic movie for all ages.
9 This Jack Frost Isn't A Cute Snowman
Not to be confused with the wholesome Michael Keaton film of the same name, the Jack Frost, which came out in 1997, was a black comedy slasher film. On the way to his execution, serial killer Jack Frost is in a car accident with a genetics lab truck and is turned into a snowman by the experimental material on the truck.
Jack Frost is extremely campy, full of comical death scenes and terrible special effects, but the film has gained a cult following. If viewers are looking for a holiday-themed horror film that will also give them a laugh, then Jack Frost is a perfect choice.
8 Sint Doesn't Have The Santa Everyone Knows
Sint, also known as Saint Nick in the US, is a Dutch dark comedy horror film about Sinterklaas, the Anglo-Saxon basis for Santa Claus. When the anniversary of the death of former bishop Niklas falls on a full moon, his spirit returns to murder as many people as possible.
Sint is another film that undermines the jolly nature of Santa Claus. In this story, the evil nature of Sinterklaas is kept a secret so that the people can believe in the good Santa and look forward to something every year. The unique take on Santa and his evil deeds in Sint makes it a wonderful film for holiday horror enthusiasts.
7 Anna and the Apocalypse Is Full Of Singing Horrors
If horror fans are looking for something different, then Anna and the Apocalypse is the film for them. Anna, a high school senior, finds herself in the middle of a zombie apocalypse in her Scottish town. Anna and her friends fight through the hordes for a chance at rescue.
What sets Anna and the Apocalypse apart from other horror movies is that it is a musical. These elements, mixed with campy zombie horror, make for a great horror film fans can laugh at while still enjoying a horror set during Christmas.
6 Black Christmas Makes The Holiday Feel Dark
Inspired by the popular urban legend of "the babysitter and the man upstairs," Black Christmas puts a unique twist on the tale. The movie takes place in a sorority house during a Christmas party and the day following as an unknown man kills the women inside and makes eerie phone calls to the main character from within the house.
Black Christmas is a chilling story that has inspired several other films, including Halloween, and has had several remakes. It has been regarded as one of the best horror movies of all time and is definitely worth a watch during the holiday season.
5 The Advent Calendar Brings More Than Just A Candy A Day
Pulling from the classic "careful what you wish for" trope, The Advent Calendar is a bloody story of one woman's countdown to Christmas. The main character, Eva, is a former dancer who lost the ability to walk in a car accident, and to cheer her up during the holidays, a friend gifts her a mysterious advent calendar.
The first few days of the calendar bring Eva joy, like talking to her all-of-a-sudden lucid father, who had been suffering from Alzheimer's. However, things take a darker tone as the film goes on. The Advent Calendar is a great watch for those who enjoy gore and suspense; imagine a holiday version of Saw or Final Destination.
4 Gremlins Can Be A Terror
Gremlins is a classic film from 1984 about a boy who receives a mythical creature called a mogwai from his father for Christmas. The mogwai, later named Gizmo, came with three rules; don't expose it to light, don't get it wet, and don't feed it after midnight. Of course, all the rules are broken, and chaos ensues.
The corrupted mogwai, called Gremlins, cause terror and mayhem across the town on Christmas Eve and are barely stopped by Gizmo's owner. Gremlins is a great horror that criticizes consumerism during the holidays and general carelessness.
3 Pooka Is Both Naughty And Nice
Pooka! is a holiday horror entry in the anthology series Into the Dark centered around the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Christmas is approaching, and unemployed actor Wilson becomes the personality of a new upcoming toy predicted to sell out before the holiday.
Wilson becomes dependent on the Pooka suit and experiences severe hallucinations even after the toy sales plummet. Pooka! is an excellent commentary on what traumas the holiday season can bring up, no matter how hard people try to avoid them. It is highly unsettling, and the surprise twist will thrill horror fans.
2 Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale Awakens Santa
The myth of Santa Claus has captured the imaginations of children throughout time and across the world. The same is true about the Finnish children in Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale. Although, Santa in their story is much different than he is typically depicted.
The Santa in Rare Exports has a more sinister side, as seen when the main character, a young boy named Pietari, does research and sees that Santa tortured and ate bad children. Rare Exports gives a fantastic new spin on Santa and his elves. It also offers a young child the chance to be the hero of an action horror film.
1 Krampus Protects The Meaning Of Christmas
Krampus is a 2015 Christmas horror comedy centered around the Austro-Bavarian folkloric creature of the same name. The dysfunctional Engel family gets ready for the holidays, and things get tense when the family comes to visit for the holiday. Young Max Engel loses his faith in Santa and Christmas which summons Krampus.
Krampus is a chilling story of what can happen when all hope is lost, especially during a time that is meant to be full of joy. Krampus reminds viewers about the importance of appreciating family and traditions, even if it is hard to see eye-to-eye. Krampus teaches his victims about the true meaning of Christmas.