It’s that time for festive fright!
Whether you’re whipping up treats or daydreaming about setting the tree on fire, holiday horror flicks fit any Christmas vibe. They seamlessly blend thematic joy and commercial skepticism, mirroring the thought, “I’m having a good time, but it could definitely be worse!”—a sentiment often felt during holiday seasons, particularly this one.
From mutated gingerbread figures and jolly killers to narratives of treachery and twisted tales, the eerie Christmas assortment is vast. We’ve assembled 25 of the finest to ignite your terrifying holiday spirit.
Not sure if a title fits your taste? Check the fright factor! Using our Best Scary Movie guide, we’ve rated all the films below on a spectrum from: family-friendly, Halloweenie (more eerie than terrifying), scary, and very scary. We also have tags for funny and WTF, which speak for themselves. However, when we say WTF, grip onto your Santa hat, as things are about to get wild!
25. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock
Alright, I realize The Nightmare Before Christmas doesn’t quite fit here — but it also doesn’t not fit here. Tim Burton’s animated classic that blends Halloween with Christmas qualifies as a horror film if you choose to deeply reflect on some of Oogie Boogie’s more grotesque actions (and honestly, who’s doing that?) Nevertheless, it possesses enough frosty eeriness to make it a worthy selection for anyone eager to satisfy that Christmas-time horror craving. Plus, you just have to adore Zero. Who’s a good ghost dog?! — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter
Fright factor: Family-Friendly
Where to watch: The Nightmare Before Christmas is currently available for streaming on Disney+.
24. Inside (2007)
This is essentially the Die Hard of this collection, more set during Christmas than being a horror film about Christmas. Inside is a blood-soaked gem from the French Extremity movement of the 2000s, a period when “torture porn” horror was in vogue.
However, filmmakers Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo’s unsettling movie succeeds due to its extremely relevant holiday atmosphere, which highlights our protagonist’s sense of isolation. On Christmas Eve, pregnant widow Sarah (Alysson Paradis) finds herself in profound despair mourning her husband, who tragically died in a car accident just a couple of months earlier.