Christmas Horror Short Review: Dear Santa (2023)

From writer, director, editor, cinematographer, and producer Chris Vanderhorst comes Dear Santa, a harrowing festive horror short that stars Stephanie Panisello and Lionel Sam.

Emily and Jason are getting ready for Christmas, pulling out the decorations to be hung, when she comes across an old letter she wrote as a kid. A letter that was for Santa but never got mailed out. In it, she asked to be just like the girl who lives next door, whose life she desperately wanted.

Well, far be it for Santa to leave a letter unanswered, and this Christmas, Emily will get exactly what she wanted.

With a twist that is genuinely horrifying, Dear Santa is not a festive horror to make you feel warm inside. From the moment it starts, there’s a cold and dark sense, and while the couple might be jovial, there’s some underlying tension there. Where it leads, is harrowing and it’s the kind of experience you don’t want spoiled. Check this one out below, it will leave you feeling glum, but it’s worth it because it’s so good.