31 Days of Christmas Horror: The Ultimate Festive Fright Movie Marathon
Welcome to Knockout Horror, and get ready for the most wonderfully terrifying time of the year! Halloween has been and gone and it is now time to start thinking about the festive season. We are here to help you with that as today we are checking out 31 Days of Christmas Horror: The Ultimate Festive Fright Movie Marathon.
Look, I am not going to lie, I absolutely adore the holiday season. I am a big kid at heart when it comes to all things Christmas. One thing I always love to do from November onward is to relax in front of a frighteningly festive horror film to get in the mood. Just look at our Awful Advent section for proof. I have covered a ton of Xmas-themed scary films on this website. Today, we are doubling down on that.
Forget your cosy Hallmark movies and sickly sweet carols. We’re trading Santa hats for ski masks and gingerbread for gore. This December, we’re counting down 31 chilling Christmas horror movies, giving you a daily dose of festive frights right up to New Year’s Eve.
We’ve got everything from killer Santas and haunted advent calendars to festive slashers and psychological winter chills. I have even tried to throw in a few obscure titles that you might have missed. So grab your hot cocoa (you might want to add a drop of something a bit stronger, too), dim the lights, and let’s kick off your ultimate Christmas horror movie marathon!
Jump to Week 1 (Dec 1-7) | Jump to Week 2 (Dec 8-14) | Jump to Week 3 (Dec 15-21) | Jump to Week 4 (Dec 22-28) | Jump to New Year’s (Dec 29-31)
Week 1 (1st – 7th)
Starting off slow with psychological horror and a few slashers to round out the week.
December 1st: The Advent Calendar (Le Calendrier) (2021)
In my opinion, this is the perfect movie to kick things off as you open up the first door on your very own awful advent calendar. A paraplegic woman receives an antique advent calendar for Christmas, but soon discovers that each window’s “treat” comes with a deadly real-world consequence.
You might not think that slow burn psychological horror fits the whole Christmas theme. You’d be surprised, though. The Advent Calendar is just one of a few titles on this list that take festive frights to a deeply disturbing level. Check out our The Advent Calendar review right here.
Why it’s festive: It’s an actual advent calendar that causes horror! What could be more fitting for the 1st of December?
December 2nd: P2 (2007)
A high-flying businesswoman gets trapped in her office parking garage on Christmas Eve, only to be stalked by a dangerously obsessed security guard.
Look, I am not going to pretend that P2 is an absolutely fantastic movie. It’s more of a guilty pleasure, really, but it’s a lot of fun and a great early December option. The cat-and-mouse shenanigans are a lot of fun and it’s very easy to enjoy. Check out our P2 review right here.
Why it’s festive: The entire premise hinges on the weird and unsettling emptiness of Christmas Eve in a usually bustling urban environment.
December 3rd: Mercy Christmas (2017)
If you like your Christmas horror to come with a side of gore and laughs, you will love this film. A lonely office worker named Michael Briskett is thrilled when his perfect new co-worker invites him to her family’s Christmas celebration. His dream comes true! Well, that is until he discovers that he’s not at the dinner… he is the dinner.
I absolutely love this film! It’s almost like the result of a Hallmark movie making love to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Legitimately hilarious, tons of gore, and some surprising violence that might just catch you off guard. Don’t let it’s lack of profile fool you. It’s a ton of fun. Check out our Mercy Christmas review right here.
Why it’s festive: It’s a dark satire about a cannibal family’s cherished Christmas dinner traditions.
December 4th: Dead End (2003)
A family driving to their in-laws’ on Christmas Eve take a “shortcut” that turns into an endless, terrifying road, with a mysterious black hearse that won’t seem to leave them alone.
This is, low-key, one of the best Christmas horror movies of all time. The Twilight Zone vibes are all over the place here, not least because of Ray Wise having a starring role. The twist is fantastic, the dark humour is spot on, and there is just enough festive references to keep it feeling like an Xmas horror. Awesome stuff. Check out our Dead End review right here.
Why it’s festive: The quintessential “driving home for Christmas” trip goes horribly wrong in the most twisty turny way possible.
December 5th: Sint (Saint Nick) (2010)
This Dutch horror film reimagines Saint Nicholas as a murderous bishop. The vicious Saint Nick, along with his ghoulish helpers, returns every few decades to slaughter people when there’s a full moon on December 5th.
It doesn’t get much more appropriate than a Christmas slasher actually set on December 5th, right? Sint has some excellent old school horror vibes mixed with a murderous take on a Christmas icon. What could be better? It’s genuinely a lot of fun.
Why it’s festive: A dark, historical take on the original “Santa” figure.
December 6th: Christmas Evil (1980)
A toy-maker, mentally scarred by a childhood Christmas trauma, goes on a yuletide rampage, rewarding “good” children and brutally punishing the “naughty.”
We had to include this classic, right? We have another one coming up next, too. This film caused a silly amount of controversy back on release but remains a Christmas slasher staple for plenty of horror fans.
Why it’s festive: A Santa gone mad, delivering bloody justice. Can’t get much more festive than that.
December 7th: Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
The infamous 80s slasher that caused a storm with parent groups. A young man, traumatised by seeing his parents killed by a man in a Santa suit, finally leaves a care home and goes on his own axe-wielding spree.
Just like Christmas Evil, Silent Night, Deadly Night was considered a bit of a video nasty when it released. Mainly due to it’s somewhat controversial themes of a killer Santa. It’s dulled with time but it’s still a lot of fun in that quintessential, low budget, 80s slasher way. There’s a remake coming out this year, as well. Check out our Silent Night, Deadly Night review right here.
Why it’s festive: Another killer Santa classic!
Week 2 (8th – 14th)
Kicking off with a cult classic before checking out some Christmas horror heavy hitters
December 8th: Jack Frost (1997)
A serial killer’s genetic material merges with snow after a crash, transforming him into a murderous snowman seeking revenge on the small town sheriff who put him away.
This is an enormous cult classic and, to be honest, I am not sure why. It’s frequently cited as one of the most enjoyable “so bad it’s good” horror movies of all time. I didn’t really get it but maybe you will. The effects are ridiculous, the sight of a wise-cracking murderous snowman is definitely unique, and it does have some fun moments. Check out our Jack Frost review right here.
Why it’s festive: It’s literally a killer snowman, what’s more festive (and ridiculous) than that?
December 9th: A Christmas Horror Story (2015)
An anthology weaving together four festive frights, including a changeling, a zombie-elf outbreak, and a truly epic final battle between Santa and Krampus.
A Christmas Horror Story is definitely the best Christmas horror anthology around. The final segment is an absolute blast and each story ties into the next in a way that feels pretty organic. It’s all narrated by William Shatner, too. Check out our A Christmas Horror Story review right here.
Why it’s festive: Multiple interconnected tales, all steeped in Christmas lore and dread and featuring some very familiar Chrimbo Characters.
December 10th: Better Watch Out (2016)
A babysitter’s quiet night in a suburban home turns into a terrifying home invasion, but she soon realises the situation is far more twisted and unexpected than it first appears.
I adore this movie. It’s a guaranteed annual Xmas horror watch in my house in front of the fire with some mulled wine. The Christmas vibes are absolutely perfect. This is a movie that is going to bring a whole new meaning to being “Home Aloned” as well. The twist is still killer for anyone who hasn’t seen the movie yet. Check out our Better Watch Out review right here.
- Why it’s festive: It’s a home invasion gone wrong, all set during the lead-up to Christmas, with a truly unsettling yet weirdly comforting holiday vibe.
December 11th: Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
A full-blown zombie-comedy-horror-musical set at Christmas. We featured this film in our list of 20 recent Zombie horror comedy movies, too. A Scottish teen and her friends have to sing, dance, and fight their way to survival after their town is overtaken by a zombie apocalypse.
Some people absolutely adore this film. I felt it was, perhaps, just a little confused but it is still a lot of fun if you are in the right mood for its very particular brand of chaos. Fans of both musicals and horror will be delighted. Check out our Anna and the Apocalypse review right here.
Why it’s festive: Christmas decorations, carols, and general holiday chaos are the backdrop for a zombie apocalypse. It doesn’t need to be set at Christmas but it is and it works.
December 12th: Deadly Games (1989)
Also known as 3615 code Père Noël, Game Over, or Dial Code Santa Claus, this French cult classic follows a child prodigy. After being left home alone with his grandfather on Christmas Eve, he is forced to rig his high-tech house with booby traps to defend them both from a psychotic, deranged vagrant who has broken in dressed as Santa.
This is the movie that was said to have inspired Home Alone. It doesn’t get much more festively appropriate than that, right? It’s gained a massive cult following in recent years and really is quite enjoyable. It’s hard not to enjoy the sense of adventure from Thomas’ traps and the sinister Santa here is genuinely scary. Check out our Deadly Games review right here.
Why it’s festive: This is the original, much darker version of Home Alone (it came out a year earlier!). It’s a full-on home invasion slasher set on Christmas Eve, where the villain is a terrifying “Père Noël”, played in brilliant fashion by Patrick Floersheim.
December 13th: There’s Something in the Barn (2023)
An oblivious American family fulfils their dream of moving to a remote farm in Norway. Only to discover their barn is already inhabited by a fjøsnisse (a barn elf). When the family ignores the creature’s simple rules, they turn a cosy Christmas into a bloody, full-scale war.
This is another one of those films that would be a perfectly family-friendly Christmas horror were it not for some genuinely inappropriate scenes. Still, for teens, this one is a really good laugh. It’s full of that trademark Norwegian dry humour that works so well for this type of movie. Check out our There’s Something in the Barn review right here.
Why it’s festive: It’s a classic “don’t mess with local traditions” tale. Mixing culture-clash comedy with a Gremlins-style creature feature, all set in a snowy and very festive feeling Norwegian landscape.
December 14th: It’s a Wonderful Knife (2023)
A year after saving her town from a psychotic killer on Christmas Eve, Winnie Carruthers’ life is far from wonderful. When she wishes she’d never been born, she’s transported to a nightmarish parallel universe where the killer was never stopped, and her town is a blood-soaked hell scape.
Shudder have released a couple of Christmas themed horror movies over the past few years. I can’t bring myself to recommend Christmas Bloody Christmas because of the annoying protagonist so let’s go with It’s a Wonderful Knife. I am sure you know where the story is going but I really enjoyed this film. It does enough to stay fun and it features horror queen Katharine Isabelle playing a drunken aunt… What could be better? Check out our It’s a Wonderful Knife review right here.
Why it’s festive: It’s a full-on slasher film that hijacks the plot of the ultimate Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s set in the idyllic, snowy town of Angel Falls and is dripping with dark, festive irony that’s actually a lot of fun.
Week 3 (15th – 21st)
Christmas is getting closer, let’s check out a classic before venturing into the bloody and psychological.
December 15th: Gremlins (1984)
A young man receives a cute, furry creature called a Mogwai as a pet, but fails to follow the three crucial rules… unleashing a horde of chaotic, destructive monsters on his idyllic town.
It’s got to be here, right? I never feel like Gremlins fits as a Christmas week movie so let’s slap it right here in the middle of the month. It’s festive but the chaotic mischief of the gremlins themselves sort of takes centre stage. It’s an all-out riot of cheeky humour, cartoon violence, and slapstick shenanigans. A Christmas horror essential. Check out our Gremlins review right here.
Why it’s festive: Set entirely during Christmas, these mischievous monsters wreak havoc on the holidays.
December 16th: Terrifier 3 (2024)
After his bloody resurrection, Art the Clown dons a filthy Santa suit and returns on Christmas Eve to unleash a new wave of apocalyptic, sadistic mayhem on the surviving Sienna Shaw and her family. If Terrifier 2 turned the gore and violence up a notch, Terrifier 3 pulled that dial off completely.
This is one of those movies that prides itself on being completely tasteless. Let’s mark passing the halfway point of the month by watching a truly disgusting slasher. Art has a great time butchering anyone who gets in his way while dressed as Santa Claus. It’s the perfect option for anyone who likes their Christmas horror with a side of ultra-violence. Check out our Terrifier 3 review right here.
Why it’s festive: The entire film is a gleeful and violent desecration of Christmas. Art is a psycho Santa, the setting is a snowy Christmas Eve, and he uses the holiday itself as a weapon (the infamous opening scene, the poor kids at the mall, and so on and so fort).
December 17th: All Through The House (2015)
A masked killer dressed as Santa stalks and slays women in a neighbourhood on Christmas Eve, rampaging his way to the most notorious home in the entire town.
We should probably come down from the horrifying high of Terrifier 3 with a movie that’s also a slasher but far less violent. This is a real throwback to 80s Christmas horror movies and features a killer with a fairly interesting backstory. You’ll have to watch to find out.
Why it’s festive: A brutal slasher with a festive serial killer.
December 18th: The Apology (2022)
Twenty years after her daughter’s mysterious disappearance, a recovering alcoholic is preparing to host her family for Christmas. Her estranged ex-brother-in-law arrives unannounced on Christmas Eve, trapped by a blizzard, bearing gifts… and a horrific secret that turns the holiday into a brutal, psychological game of cat and mouse.
I really enjoyed this movie. It’s sort of a lo-fi mystery thriller with some Christmas horror vibes. The story is pretty compelling and it goes in a few directions you might not be expecting. It’s a bit long and does get a tiny bit repetitive but it’s still a great option to take our Christmas horror marathon in a different direction. Check out our The Apology review right here.
Why it’s festive: This is a great option for a “dark and stormy night” Christmas tale. The raging blizzard, the isolated house, and the forced family reunion provide the perfect, claustrophobic backdrop for a devastating, holiday-ruining secret.
December 19th: Silent Night (2021)
An estranged family and their friends gather at an idyllic country estate for one last Christmas celebration. As the night goes on, it becomes clear this is no ordinary party. A toxic, apocalyptic cloud is sweeping the globe, and they have gathered to face their imminent, final night on Earth together.
Silent Night is another great option to really switch up the Christmas Horror mood from all those slashers and gore-filled romps. This movie is supported by a well known cast. It features a lot of laughs but the plot itself is actually super melancholy. It definitely succeeds at putting you in the shoes of the people in the film. Check out our Silent Night review right here.
Why it’s festive: It’s the quintessential “family Christmas dinner party” setup. Complete with festive jumpers, carols, and all that deeply buried bitterness and resentment that you might expect. The entire film uses the holiday as a backdrop for the end of the world.
December 20th: I Trapped the Devil (2019)
A man’s unexpected visit to his estranged brother on Christmas finds him holding a mysterious captive in his basement. One whom he claims is the Devil himself.
We’ll take another slow-burn psychological horror for the 20th. I mean, let’s be honest,things are going to get a lot more hectic in the next few days. I Trapped the Devil is a movie with a really good idea that doesn’t always nail the landing. Still, it’s a great option to throw on in the background while you relax and, perhaps, even have a little nap before the Christmas chaos begins in earnest.
Why it’s festive: A dark, claustrophobic Christmas tale of religious paranoia and potential evil.
December 21st: Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)
This Finnish fantasy-horror reveals the real Santa Claus. A feral, horned beast that is about to be accidentally unearthed from his ancient tomb during an archaeological dig.
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale turns actual Finnish Xmas folklore into one of the greatest Xmas horror movies ever. It’s legitimately hilarious in a bone-dry kind of way and actually quite scary in parts. You will never forget what those damn elves look like as long as you live. Check out our Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale review right here.
Why it’s festive: A wonderfully dark and unique origin story for Santa.
Christmas Week (22nd – 28th)
We are going to check out some modern Christmas horror classics and one timeless slasher.
December 22nd: Inside (À l’intérieur) (2007)
A pregnant widow, still grieving from the car crash that killed her husband, spends Christmas Eve alone, awaiting her C-section the next day. Her night is interrupted by a mysterious, scissors-wielding woman who breaks in and mercilessly attacks her but for what reason?
Okay, that’s enough psychological and mystery shenanigans. It’s time to get back to the gory Christmas horror and what better way than with the New French Extremity classic Inside? This movie is absolutely brutal and takes home invasion to an even more terrifying extreme. Check out our review of Inside right here. Just make sure you don’t watch the awful American remake.
Why it’s festive: The entire film is a bleak, terrifying home invasion set against the backdrop of Christmas Eve. Turning the holiday’s themes of birth and family into a complete nightmare.
December 23rd: Krampus (2015)
A dysfunctional family’s complete lack of festive spirit accidentally summons the ancient, demonic “shadow of Saint Nicholas,” who proceeds to punish them in spectacularly creature-filled fashion.
Krampus, despite its Hollywood big budget horror trappings, is actually a hell of a lot of fun. It’s pure Gremlins-style creature chaos with hilarious Christmas characters showing up to cause havoc. It’s probably a good option for some family viewing, as well, as it’s really not all that rude and scary. You could always use the threat of Krampus to make your kids behave, as well. Check out our Krampus review right here.
Why it’s festive: The ultimate anti-Christmas creature feature with fantastic monster designs and a lot of cheeky humour.
December 24th (Christmas Eve): Black Christmas (1974)
Who would have thought that Bob Clark would make two of the greatest Christmas movies ever? The original and still the best, not that the remakes are any kind of competition. Sorority sisters staying at their house for the holidays are stalked and murdered by an unseen, unhinged killer making obscene phone calls from inside the house.
It’s not just a great Christmas horror movie. Black Christmas is one of the most important slasher films in horror history. It’s an annual Christmas Eve watch in our house so why not join us and start your Christmas off right? Honestly, it’s weirdly cosy in a sadistic kind of way. It’s still a scary film, as well, in my opinion. Check out our Black Christmas review right here.
Why it’s festive: The quintessential Christmas Eve slasher. starting an enduring horror trend and setting the standard for all holiday horror to come.
December 25th (Christmas Day): Violent Night (2022)
A team of mercenaries takes a wealthy family hostage on Christmas Eve. But they’re not prepared for a very real (and very drunk) Santa Claus to show up and deliver a John Wick-style beatdown. After all that food and Christmas chocolate, you are going to need a high octane film to wake you up and boy do we have one for you?
Everyone always has that classic debate about whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Why not just shut that down instantly by going with a movie that brings Die Hard style action and chaos but with an actual full-blown Christmas theme including a heroic Santa Claus? Violent Night is a ton of fun though I am never quite sure who they are aiming the sickly sweet family stuff at. Check out our Violent Night review right here.
Why it’s festive: What better way to celebrate Christmas than with an ultra-violent Santa Claus delivering bloody justice?
December 26th: Wind Chill (2007)
Two college students carpooling home for Christmas break take an ill-advised “shortcut” on a remote, snowy road. They crash and find themselves stranded in a brutal blizzard, haunted by the frozen ghosts of people who died on that same stretch of road.
This is a great option for that very specific, slightly lethargic feeling that often accompanies December 26th. The hype has died down, the wrapping paper is gone, and it’s time to relax. Wind Chill is a slow-burn ghost story that takes place almost entirely in one location but still offers a pretty compelling plot and some well-executed scares. Check out our Wind Chill review right here.
Why it’s festive: It’s the perfect “driving home for the holidays” nightmare. The post-Christmas, Boxing Day slot is perfect for this bleak, freezing-cold ghost story about being trapped in the middle of nowhere when you just want to be home.
December 27th: The Lodge (2019)
A woman is left snowed-in at a remote lodge with her new fiancé’s two children. As a blizzard rages, terrifying events linked to her dark past begin to unfold but is it all in her head?
We are back with another psychological horror now that the initial excitement of Christmas has faded away. This is a pretty miserable movie that has a weirdly hopeless vibe. Just perfect for that dull period between Xmas and the New Year. The story is pretty compelling and I am sure you will enjoy the big twist that comes towards the end. Check out our The Lodge review right here.
Why it’s festive: Winter isolation and a family trying to bond over Christmas, with devastating consequences.
December 28th: The Children (2008)
A family’s cosy post-Christmas getaway turns into a nightmare when a mysterious illness sweeps through the children, turning them into remorseless, pint-sized killers. Okay, we are getting closer to new year’s eve so let’s switch the theme up a little. The next few movies are all going to focus on that post-Christmas period.
The Children is a great way to start. This British horror takes place right after Christmas and sees the family’s kids turn into marauding little bastards. It’s quite a lot of fun, has some seriously nasty moments, and is one of only a few horror movies that takes place during this time period. Check out our The Children review right here.
Why it’s festive: It’s set in that awkward, claustrophobic void between Christmas and New Year, when the family gathering has gone on just a bit too long.
New Year (29th – 31st)
Let’s check out some New Year themed horror movies to wrap up the holidays.
December 29th: New Year, New You (2018)
A group of high school friends reunite for an intimate New Year’s Eve party. The host, Alexis, is visibly uncomfortable with the arrival of their old friend Danielle, who is now a vapid, wildly successful wellness influencer. But is there an alternate motive for Alexis bringing everyone together?
Now we are getting into the New Year’s Eve stuff. Let’s start with this fairly watchable movie that comes by way of Sophia Takal. Now, she directed an absolute travesty of a Christmas film in the form of 2019’s Black Christmas but New Year, New You is quite a lot more promising so might be worth a shot.
Why it’s festive: This is the New Year’s-themed entry from Hulu’s Into the Dark series. It weaponises the holiday’s themes of “fresh starts”, “self-improvement”, and “toxic positivity”. Turning them into the motivation for a brutal, psychological showdown that explodes right at the stroke of midnight.
December 30th: Terror Train (1980)
A group of pre-med students, responsible for a fraternity prank that went horribly wrong years ago, decide to throw a massive New Year’s Eve costume party aboard a chartered steam train. Their celebration is crashed by a mysterious killer who begins murdering them one by one.
I think the best way to round out the year is with a couple of cheesy 80s New Year’s Eve slashers. The first of which is Terror Train starring Jamie Lee Curtis, fresh off her turn as Laurie in Halloween. This movie is a ton of fun and the way the killer switches his costume out adds a hilarious hook that makes it all the more enjoyable.
Why it’s festive: This is the ultimate New Year’s Eve party-gone-wrong slasher. The costume party theme, the countdown to midnight, and the claustrophobic setting of a moving train all build to a perfect climax right before the 31st.
December 31st (New Year’s Eve): New Year’s Evil (1980)
A deranged serial killer calls a New Year’s Eve punk rock TV show host, promising to commit a murder at the stroke of midnight in each of the country’s time zones.
There was only one movie that could fit in perfectly here, right? New Year’s Evil is the quintessential New Year horror movie. Look, don’t expect a masterpiece. This is a ridiculous, cheesy, and ultra camp 80’s B-movie. Going into it knowing full well that is what you are getting into is the best way to enjoy it. Happy New Year from Knockout Horror.
Why it’s festive: The ultimate New Year’s Eve slasher!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
And there you have it! 31 days of festive frights to get you through the holiday season. Phew, we made it! This was a huge list to put together, and I’m sure I’ve missed some of your personal favourites.
Check out our Awful Advent category for a lot more Christmas content. I’ve already put together a bunch of themed Xmas horror movie lists so go check them out. We also have 25 Cosy Horror Movies if you are not quite feeling the whole Christmas thing yet and 30 Thanksgiving and November themed horror movies to help you see out the autumn.
Thanks for reading. If you’re checking this list out over the Holiday season, have a wonderfully spooky Christmas, and a very Happy New Year from Knockout Horror!
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