Even More Christmas Themed Horror Movies You Should Watch!
Way back in 2013 we wrote the Top 10 Christmas Themed Horror Movies. A list of 10 festive horrors we thought were up there as the best. You can read that article here. A few years later in 2017, we came back with Another Top 10 Christmas Themed Horror Movies which included even more quality festive horror flicks. You can read that article here.
It’s been a few years so we’re back with a third Top 10 Christmas Themed Horror Movies. Enjoy and remember to be merry!
Deathcember (2020)
Deathcember is made up of twenty four horror shorts that take a look at the darker side of the holiday season. Each tale is introduced via the opening of a new door in an advent calendar. The CGI used is a bit dodgy but the idea is solid and matches the theme perfectly.
Deathcember delivers what it promises. Not every story is gold but all of them put a fun, horror filled spin on Christmas. If you’re looking for your Christmas horror fix then you can’t go wrong here.
You can read our full review here.
Stuffings (2021)
Everything about Stuffings screams trash but in an unexpected turn, what we have here is an enjoyable, amusing and original idea to enjoy this Christmas. You won’t be blown away by the effects, acting or story but you will be entertained.
The story is quite original and makes up for the lack of Christmas visuals with a plot directly related to saving the 25th of December. That being said, it’s not always the best told story with some important, finer details only being added in right at the end. There’s creating a sense of mystery but the film pushes that too far when it had the perfect time to explain itself fully. Instead, one character just knows what is going to happen right at the very end, leaving us scratching our heads.
It’s annoying but forgivable thanks to the silly ideas around it and the way in which most of the characters buy into it. Good stuff from a good cast, aside from one or two (we won’t tell you who but you’ll know once you hear them). You’ll love Bec and Andy, the former’s level-headed and relatable views make her endearing. Whereas the latter is a hilarious but lovable idiot. They have great chemistry and keep the movie ticking along nicely.
Gorehounds don’t have lots to enjoy here but when it comes, it comes in comical fashion. Who cares if it looks like jam? It’s just part of the film’s charm and at a tight 79 minutes, it really doesn’t overstay its welcome.
You can read our full review here.
Dead Christmas (2014)
Considering our disdain for home-movie/found-footage/vlog horror movies, naturally a low-budget Christmas horror in the former’s style would be about as appealing as a candy cane jammed in the eye.
However, in a nice surprise, Dead Christmas (also known as Red Christmas) is entertaining and charming. Mainly thanks to the performance of Amie Wrenn. She plays Tara, a serial killer who likes to murder men around the holiday time. This year she has decided to record her antics so if she is ever caught, she can become infamous.
Overall, Dead Christmas is a good movie. Short, to the point (mostly) and with a lead who really puts her all into it. It’s tasteless and pulls very few punches but that just makes it stand out all the more even if lines like “I really only cum this hard when I’m fucking a corpse” will put many people off.
You can read our full review here.
Santa Jaws (2018)
Come on now… admit it. You saw the title and dismissed this movie completely. Not necessarily because it’s called Santa Jaws but because the glut of shark horror over the last couple of years has drained the lake completely. The majority being poorly made, idiotic action-horror hoping to jump on some of the success that Sharknado enjoyed briefly. Yet even that series has *ahem* well and truly jumped the shark now.
Absolutely no-one would blame you for snorting at the title and the front cover image then scrolling on by. However, should you decide to take the Christmassy plunge, you’ll find a surprisingly alright shark-horror movie. One that embraces the silliness behind it. Tries hard to make it feel festive and doesn’t overstay its welcome.
You can read our full review here.
Alien Raiders (2008)
If Alien Raiders were to win any awards, it would be for having one of the worst titles possible. It’s the sort of title most would just skip straight by. Which is a real shame as it’s a classy, tense and well-told alien horror movie. One that just happens to be set over the Christmas period for some tenuous but welcome holiday links.
It sounds silly. It sounds cheesy. However, Alien Raiders is neither of those things. What it is, is a combination of The Thing, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Splinter. The story is wholly unoriginal but is executed in such a way, the lack of originality is easy to overlook.
Calling it a holiday horror is a bit of a stretch though. It is set over the Christmas period and there are festive decorations about but that’s about it. Once the film gets going, it’s all but forgotten. A minor complaint though as Alien Raiders is a quality sci-fi horror movie. What it lacks in originality, it makes up for through sheer determination to accomplish what it is doing well. That makes it a must watch even if the title is incredibly poor.
You can read our full review here.
The Night Sitter (2018)
Possibly going unnoticed upon release due to the humongous success of Netlix’s The Babysitter the year before, The Night Sitter is a festive-themed comedy horror film released in 2018.
A story that surrounds three witches that have been trapped for a long time and now want revenge.
Cue a bloody battle, some great comedy moments and characters that grow to be quite likable. This is an enjoyable comedy horror romp with some wonderful homages to 80’s horror. The colours, the effects, the cliched characters… this is stuff that works in the movie’s favour.
You can read our full review here.
Mercy Christmas (2017)
The best kind of Christmas horrors are the ones that embrace the absurd. The ones that dial it up to eleven and make it feel like an authentic holiday film. Think the visuals of Home Alone but where Kevin tortures and kills the burglars before serving their corpses as food for his parents. Welcome to Mercy Christmas. A comedy horror that takes all of the above and has a blast with it.
The film also adds some top-class gore to the mix to really turn this cake into a thing of beauty. Mercy Christmas has no issue with taking a dark subject matter and making sure your stomach might turn a bit while watching it. When this family say they enjoy a leg over the dinner, it’s not come from what you might think!
Brilliant. Thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end. Even when it ramps up the silliness for the finale, it’s still an absolute blast.
You can read our full review here.
Unholy Night (2019)
An anthology Christmas horror movie, Unholy Night sees a nurse working a late-night shift at her hospital on Christmas Eve. It’s a very quiet night, so she befriends an elderly patient who decides to tell her some dark and twisted tales set around the festive period.
The stories are great, not exactly original, but fun and cleverly told. There are moments that drag but when the meat of the tale is revealed, it’s always exciting to watch.
Stretching a low-budget far, the desire to make Unholy Night look as festive as possible pays off. This feels like a Christmas horror movie and the musical renditions of Christmas classics helps that along nicely. It won’t ‘wow’ necessarily but it will at least get nods of approval. Especially when you can tell most of the cast were trying their best.
All of this is easily forgivable though as Unholy Night tries and tries hard. The end result is a fun, gross, gory and memorable festive horror.
You can read our full review here.
Red Christmas (2017)
A simple premise but one that thrills & intrigues, Red Christmas sees veteran scream queen Dee Wallace protecting her family from an intruder on Christmas Day. An intruder that has links to her past, something that she wants to forget!
The kills are over the top & extremely gory but so entertaining. A bear trap over the head, being split straight down the middle, a blender through the skull…it’s all so much fun.
Beside the exciting kills, the cast are great. Mostly likable & with interesting defined characteristics. They are believable as a family as their conflicts are forgotten when the threat outside becomes a reality.
The sign of a great horror movie is one that you think about afterwards, one that you want to talk about, one that makes you want to tell everyone about. Red Christmas isn’t just a great holiday horror, it’s a great horror, full stop!
You can read our full review here.
Anna and the Apocalypse (2018)
A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven – at Christmas – forcing Anna and her friends to fight, slash and sing their way to survival.
Anna and the Apocalypse is essentially a British parody of High School Musical with zombies. In addition to some solid musical elements, the film also had a solid plot. Fairly straightforward but enjoyable nonetheless. It promises British humour and this movie definitely delivers on that. There’s clear inspiration from other British zombie comedies, such as Shaun of the Dead.
The effects are well done, with especially impressive practical effects. This ensures you are never taken out of the movie and helped with the flow. It’s also very well shot, with good use of limited locations.
You can read our full review here.
