Top 10 scariest Christmas horror movies
Warner Bros.Christmas is the time for presents, family, good cheer – and horror movies? Here are the 10 best and scariest Christmas flicks.
Christmas movies – people generally expect certain elements from them. A wintery setting, a happy ending, and general feelings of family and good tidings.
Well, turns out this isn’t always the case, as some may actually prefer a Christmas horror movie. And you’d be surprised how many there actually are. After all, winter also brings darkness and cold, along with ghosts of Christmas past.
And below, we’ve ranked the best – and potentially scariest, depending on your fear tolerance – Christmas horror movies, if you’re looking to get into the season’s spooky spirit.
10. It’s a Wonderful Knife (2023)
ShudderWhat it’s about: “Winnie’s life is less than wonderful one year after saving her town from a psychotic killer on Christmas Eve. When she wishes she was never born, she finds herself magically transported to a nightmarish parallel universe. With the murderous maniac now back, she must team up with a misfit to identify the culprit and get back to her own reality.”
What we think: While this movie is new, it’s already cemented itself as a great Christmas horror movie. With a fun twist on the classic movie It’s a Wonderful Life, you may be able to overlook the movie’s obvious twists, while enjoying the scares.
Where to watch: AMC+
9. A Christmas Carol (2009)
DisneyWhat it’s about: “Though London awaits the joyful arrival of Christmas, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge thinks it’s all humbug, berating his faithful clerk and cheerful nephew for their view. Later, Scrooge encounters the ghost of his late business partner, who warns that three spirits will visit him this night. The ghosts take Scrooge on a journey through his past, present and future in the hope of transforming his bitterness.”
What we think: Now, A Christmas Carol can only really be scary depending on who tells it, and surprisingly, the animated version actually comes out on top. Starring Jim Carey, this movie delights in the grotesque with its animation, while also leaning into the horror of the ghosts themselves.
Where to watch: Disney+
8. Gremlins (1984)
Warner Bros.What it’s about: “A gadget salesman is looking for a special gift for his son and finds one at a store in Chinatown. The shopkeeper is reluctant to sell him the ‘mogwai’ but sells it to him with the warning to never expose him to bright light, water, or to feed him after midnight. All of this happens and the result is a gang of gremlins that decide to tear up the town on Christmas Eve.”
What we think: Gremlins is a classic critter movie, and who hasn’t ever worried about their toys not only coming to life, but becoming evil? The monsters are memorable, and the plots mix a good amount of the unnerving and the hilarious.
Where to watch: Max
7. Krampus (2015)
Universal Pictures What it’s about: “While the holiday season represents the most magical time of year, ancient European folklore warns of Krampus, a horned beast who punishes naughty children at Christmastime. When dysfunctional family squabbling causes young Max to lose his festive spirit, it unleashes the wrath of the fearsome demon. As Krampus lays siege to the Engel home, mom, pop, sister and brother must band together to save one another from a monstrous fate.”
What we think: Krampus leans into spooky folk tales, with a good mix of mean spirited-ness here. Beware, children actually appear to get killed by the monster in this Christmas horror movie. It also leans into the horror of fighting with your family, altogether creating a creative cautionary tale.
Where to watch: Peacock
6. Silent Night (2021)
Altitude Film Distribution What it’s about: “A couple invite their closest friends to join their family for Christmas dinner at their idyllic home in the English countryside. As the group comes together, it feels like old times – but behind all of the laughter and merriment, something isn’t quite right. The world outside is facing impending doom, and no amount of gifts, games or wine can make mankind’s imminent destruction go away. Surviving the holidays just got a lot more complicated.”
What we think: Silent Night brings apocalypse horror, creating an unsettling yet funny flick which looks into family dynamics and compares them to the unbearable weight of life as we know it ending. The finale of the film is morbid, so we won’t spoil it here, but you may definitely be unsettled.
Where to watch: AMC+
5. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Warner Bros.What it’s about: “After Dr. Bill Hartford’s wife, Alice, admits to having sexual fantasies about a man she met, Bill becomes obsessed with having a sexual encounter. He discovers an underground sexual group and attends one of their meetings – and quickly discovers that he is in over his head.”
What we think: Okay, this may not be considered an actual horror movie, but we’d argue that it’s just as uncomfortable as one. With (intentionally) strange performances, a cryptic plot, and secret cult like themes, Eyes Wide Shut is still a star of Stanley Kubrick’s career.
Where to watch: Apple TV
4. P2 (2007)
Summit EntertainmentWhat it’s about: “Angela is working late on Christmas Eve. When she finally decides to leave, she goes down to the parking garage to get her car, but it won’t start. Thomas, the garage’s security guard, offers to help. He also invites Angela to dinner, but she refuses. Thomas, crazed, knocks her out. She wakes up in Thomas’ office, chained to a chair and in different clothes. Now Angela must fight for her life in order to escape from the garage.”
What we think: P2 is a thriller movie about a woman attempting to escape work for the holidays, a classic Christmas experience. Except this one has an extra dose of violence, a lot of great scenes filled with tension, and an actually competent final girl.
Where to watch: Tubi
3. Black Christmas (1974)
Warner Bros. PicturesWhat it’s about: “As winter break begins, a group of sorority sisters, including Jess and the often inebriated Barb, begin to receive anonymous, lascivious phone calls. Initially, Barb eggs the caller on, but stops when he responds threateningly. Soon, Barb’s friend Claire goes missing from the sorority house, and a local adolescent girl is murdered, leading the girls to suspect a serial killer is on the loose. But no one realizes just how near the culprit is.”
What we think: There’s a reason Black Christmas has been remade as often as it has, but we’ll have to go with the original for its ability to set tone and create some genuinely stomach turning scares. It may be a classic slasher set in a sorority house, but Black Christmas goes that extra mile to make something truly memorable and, of course, scary.
Where to watch: YouTube
2. I Trapped the Devil (2019)
IFC FilmsWhat it’s about: “Hoping for a joyful family reunion, Matt and his wife pay a surprise visit to the home of his estranged brother, Steve, to celebrate Christmas. To their shock, they soon learn that Steve has a hostage in his basement – a man he claims is the devil.”
What we think: Who doesn’t love the devil at Christmas? While we probably can’t spoil much, this flick has a good mix of supernatural and psychological horror, perfect to get you in the mood for uncomfortable relative visits this Holiday season.
Where to watch: AMC+
1. Dead End (2003)
LionsgateWhat it’s about: “When a family en route to a Christmas Eve gathering decides to takes a shortcut down a wooded road, an eerie sequence of events signals trouble ahead. After nearly colliding with an oncoming car, father Frank picks up a ghostly hitchhiker and her infant child. With the sudden appearance of their new passengers, the route becomes dark and treacherous – and the family’s numbers rapidly begin to dwindle in a series of seemingly connected, grisly roadside accidents.”
What we think: Dead End is a film many may not remember, but you certainly will once you’ve watched it. Leaning into the horror of a dark night car ride, this Christmas horror movie reminds you of the dangers of picking up strangers from the road.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Merry Christmas, and don’t let the elves bite! For more of our Movies & TV content, click here.