5 Christmas Horror Movies That Are Actually Worth Watching

There are plenty of Christmas movies out there that have a level of universal appeal, perhaps even extending beyond those who celebrate the holiday. Home Alone, It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, they’re all beloved classics. But there are plenty of film fans out there who want something a little less sweet or funny. Perhaps something with a fear factor. For those people there are plenty of top-tier choices, and five of the best follow. These are movies that put a twist on just what it means to be a holiday classic. Most aren’t fully appropriate for the younger members of the household, but we included one that is.

Are you looking for a Christmas movie that has something scarier than three ghosts trying to teach an old curmudgeon a lesson? Check one of these out.

5) Black Christmas

Black Christmas came from Bob Clark, who also directed the holiday classic A Christmas Story, but they couldn’t be any more different. It just goes to show how diverse Clark’s abilities were, even if he was also capable of atrocities like Baby Geniuses.

This may very well be the scariest film of the ’70s. It gives The Texas Chain Saw Massacre a run for its money in that regard. And it pulls that off in the same way Tobe Hooper’s movie did. It’s all about mood and what we don’t see. All it needs is expert tension-building, a single locale (a sorority house), and a few increasingly threatening phone calls.

Stream Black Christmas on Prime Video.

4) Gremlins

At long last, a third Gremlins movie has been announced, so if ever there was a holiday season to rewatch (or somehow watch for the first time) the original film, it’s this one. Will Gremlins 3 incorporate the holiday season? Time will tell, but it’s one of the first film’s strongest attributes.

Joe Dante and screenwriter Chris Columbus (who will direct the third film) knew how to create a small-town vibe. You truly feel like you’re in a wonderful little town where time has somewhat stayed still. Then, that wonderful little town is torn apart by teeth-gnashing little jerks who guzzle booze and thoroughly enjoy a screening of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It’s a sublime mixture of dark comedy and The Andy Griffith Show-like innocence.

Stream Gremlins on HBO Max.

3) P2

P2 was pretty much entirely overlooked when it hit theaters in 2007, but it has since gone on to accrue a small cult following of those who have actually given it a shot. And it’s a deserved following, as it’s a nerve-wracking single locale psychological horror film with a fantastic lead performance by Rachel Nichols.

It’s a tale of extreme obsession and misogyny. A cat and mouse game where the cat is almost entirely disconnected from reality. It’s frightening because it’s the type of thing that could very well happen in reality. And, while one might think that setting a narrative in a parking garage could grow stale, P2 manages to keep things fresh and tense until the finale.

Stream P2 on Prime Video.

2) Silent Night

Now that the Silent Night, Deadly Night reboot has just about arrived, this is the time to catch up on the franchise. Though, really, if you’re just going to go with one of them, make it the 2012 reboot. It’s not quite as rough around the edges or tonally unsettling.

Besides the ending of Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2, the 2012 take on the killer Santa narrative is the best the franchise has been thus far. Though you should check out the ending of Part 2 online. Just type in “Garbage Day!”.

Stream Silent Night for free with ads on The Roku Channel.

1) Terrifier 3

One of the biggest success stories of 2024’s cinematic output, Terrifier 3 is a blood-soaked masterpiece of the splatter film subgenre. If you need a Christmas movie where a whirring chainsaw goes up an anus, this is the one for you.

Art the Clown continues to be a modern horror icon, but this time it’s Samantha Scaffidi’s Victoria, Art’s sadistic assistant in murder, who steals the show. Well, Scaffidi and Lauren LaVera, whose Sienna Shaw is as much a great modern horror character as Art.

Stream Terrifier 3 on Prime Video.

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