Ho ho ho! Welcome to the Horror section of the Cinematic Winter Wonderland!
This is an especially terrifying funfair, featuring the best Christmas horror movies ever made, from classics of the 1970s to the latest ones. But why would you watch horror movies at a time, when the whole world is celebrating love?
Well, sometimes you’re just not in the mood for a cheesy family film, and you want to watch a different kind of Christmas movie instead. Something that’s gory and dripping with blood. That’s okay, we’re like that too sometimes.
We made you a list, we’re checking it twice,
And its not meant for cowardly mice.
So how did we pick the Top 13 Christmas Horror Movies Ever Made?
Well, it wasn’t simple, and it wasn’t easy! “Best” is a relative term, but there are certain factors that can be used as guidelines, such as Critical Acclaim, Audience Feedback, Box Office Performance, Awards and Nominations, Iconic Status, Popularity, Watchability, etc.
Our research revealed, that the Christmas horror genre is a pretty dangerous one, when it comes to critical acclaim or accolades, and we can’t help but agree.
Crappy Christmas horror movies like Saint (2010) or Santa’s Slay (2005) are popping up on “Best Christmas Horror Movies” lists all around the internet.
Well, if we want to be honest with our own sense of quality, than the rightful place of these kind of films should actually be the naughty list.
Too harsh? Not at all! Just think about it. If you find the perfect time to watch something during the holiday season, than you don’t want to settle for anything less than the best, right?
That’s the spirit we embraced while composing this list of the Best Christmas Horror movies of all time.
We believe that the movies that made the cut should not compete with one another any further, so we will just present them in the order they were released in.
And now let’s cut to the chase, shall we? Buckle up, and let the best Christmas horror movies of all time carry you to the Cinematic Wonderland of Horrors!
Revealing the Top 13 Christmas Horror Movies of All Time
A Chronological Presentation
Black Christmas (1974)
The rare slasher with enough intelligence to wind up the tension between bloody outbursts, Black Christmas offers fiendishly enjoyable holiday viewing for genre fans.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Christmas Evil (1980)
A toy factory worker, mentally scarred as a child upon learning Santa Claus is not real, suffers a nervous breakdown after being belittled at work, and embarks on a Yuletide killing spree.
IMDB
Gremlins (1984)
Whether you choose to see it as a statement on consumer culture or simply a special effects-heavy popcorn flick, Gremlins is a minor classic.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
During the Christmas holiday season, a small town is besieged by a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters, after a boy inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet’s care and feeding.
*There’s a non-Christmas themed sequel entitled Gremlins 2: The New Batch. If you like to original movie, you may enjoy this one as well.
Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
Little Billy witnesses his parents getting killed by Santa after being warned by his senile grandpa that Santa punishes those who are naughty. Now Billy is 18, and out of the orphanage, and he has just become Santa, himself.
IMDB
If you’re in the mood for a more modern version of the story, check out the 2012 remake of this film, entitled Silent Night.
The Day of the Beast (1995)
Bent on committing as many sins as possible to avert the birth of the beast, a Catholic priest teams up with a Black Metal aficionado and an Italian connoisseur of the occult. Now, he must become an unrelenting sinner. Is there still hope?
IMDB
Dead End (2003)
Christmas Eve. On his way to his in-laws with his family, Frank Harrington decides to try a shortcut, for the first time in 20 years. It turns out to be the biggest mistake of his life.
IMDB
Inside (2007)
During the Christmas holiday, four months after the death of her husband, a woman on the brink of motherhood is tormented by a mysterious madwoman, who wants her unborn baby.
The Children (2008)
Unsettling and spine-chilling low-budget British horror, with effective and disturbing scares.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
It tells the tale of a relaxing Christmas vacation, that turns into a terrifying fight for survival as the children begin to turn on their parents.
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)
Rare Exports is an unexpectedly delightful crossbreed of deadpan comedy and Christmas horror.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
On Christmas Eve in Finland, Santa Claus is unearthed in an archaeological dig. Soon after, children start disappearing…
Krampus (2015)
Krampus is gory good fun for fans of non-traditional holiday horror with a fondness for Joe Dante’s B- movie classics, even if it doesn’t have quite the savage bite its concept calls for.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
A Christmas Horror Story (2015)
Not even Santa Claus is safe from the evil that descends on Bailey Downs, a small town that is suddenly plagued with malevolent spirits, zombie elves and Krampus – the anti-Santa Claus.
Amazon
Better Watch Out (2016)
Carried by its charismatic young cast, Better Watch Out is an adorably sinister holiday horror film.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
On a quiet suburban street, a babysitter must defend a twelve-year-old boy from intruders, only to discover it’s far from a normal home invasion.
IMDB
Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
Anna and the Apocalypse finds fresh brains and a lot of heart in the crowded zombie genre – not to mention a fun genre mashup populated by rootable characters.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
…end of the reel…
So there you have it: The 13 Greatest Christmas Horror Movies of All Time
If you want to take a look at the ‘Top 13 Best Christmas Horror Movies Ever Made’ list without all that info between the titles, here’s a quick recap:
 | Black Christmas (1974) |
 | Christmas Evil (1980) |
 | Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) |
 | Gremlins (1984) |
 | The Day of the Beast (1995) |
 | Dead End (2003) |
 | Inside (2007) |
 | The Children (2008) |
 | Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010) |
 | Krampus (2015) |
 | A Christmas Horror Story (2015) |
 | Better Watch Out (2016) |
 | Anna and the Apocalypse (2017) |
Is there a movie you believe should be on this list? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
