Season’s bleedings: 12 obscure so-bad-they’re-good Christmas horror films

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today, we are counting down to Christmas in style with a brand new list – Season’s bleedings: 12 obscure so-bad-they’re-good Christmas horror films. Quick word of warning: these movies aren’t just enormously obscure, they are enormously awful but in a fun way, of course.

12 Obscure festive horror turkeys

Christmas is a time for tradition: stuffing your face until you feel both exhausted and sick, arguing with relatives that you only see once a year, and watching horror movies that were clearly written over a substantial drinking session and made for the price of a box of Kraft Mac and Cheese.

While Black Christmas and Gremlins get all the glory, there is a special place in my heart (and my recycling bin) for the absolute dregs of the festive genre. But we aren’t talking about the mainstream festive horror trash here – you’ll find those here. All of these films are seriously obscure because I dug right to the bottom of the barrel for the worst of the worst.

These Christmas horror movies aren’t just bad; they’re so bad they’re good. They’re chaotic, misguided, and often incompetently made, but somehow endlessly watchable.

I have curated this list of “bad” Christmas horror movies so that you have one for each of the 12 days (or nights) of Christmas. Whether it’s a werewolf in a dollar store fur suit or a killer dressed as Scrooge, these films celebrate the true reason for the season: low-budget horror goodness.

Before we dive into each night’s chaotic carnage, here’s a quick cheat sheet snippet of these gloriously awful Christmas horror films for your 12-day binge.

Night 1: Secret Santa (2015) – The gift that keeps on gagging

Director: Mike McMurran | IMDb: Link | IMDb User Score: 4.8/10 with 470+ Votes

Not to be confused with the 2018 Adam Marcus (of Jason Goes to Hell) film of the same name. This Canadian slasher (also known as Christmassacre) is a grainy, low-budget love letter to 80s gore. The premise is simple: a group of eccentric weirdos gathers for a Secret Santa exchange, only to be offed by a killer using their own gifts against them.

It’s cheap, nasty, and features some of the most baffling dialogue you’ll hear this side of a drunk uncle at Christmas dinner.

It does have a weird, almost grindhouse sort of charm, though. I won’t spoil it but there is a kill with a hairdryer that actually made me laugh my ass off so maybe give it a try just for that. The most baffling thing about this Christmas log is how long it actually takes to get to the killing. It’s weirdly slow-burn for an 80’s style slasher. It’s on Plex completely free.

Verdict: A slow-burn slasher that tests your patience before rewarding you with a hairdryer kill for the ages.

Night 2: 13 Slays Till X-Mas (2020) – A mixed bag of coal and cheap gore

Director: Various | IMDb: Link | IMDb User Score: 4.1/10 with 260+ Votes

Anthology films are usually a mixed bag, but this one is more like a bag of coal with a few pieces of zircon hidden in there somewhere. A group of guys spend Christmas Eve at a dive bar sharing spooky stories. The segments range from “What the hell was that?” to “I suppose that was okay” but the wrap-around story somehow holds it together with a certain scuzzy charm.

Dread Central gave it a laughable 4/5 in one of the most bewildering reviews I have ever read proving that there is no accounting for taste. It’s perfect if you have a short attention span and a high tolerance for fake snow, though. Plus you might just get the warm Christmas fuzzies for supporting a proper low-budget indie venture. Get it on Prime Video and Plex.

Verdict: A scuzzy, uneven anthology that survives on pure indie spirit and a handful of cheap thrills.

Night 3: Once Upon a Time at Christmas (2017) – New York via a muddy field in Kent

Director: Paul Tanter | IMDb: Link | IMDb User Score: 3.6/10 with 906+ Votes

Set in upstate New York (but clearly filmed in a snowy field in the UK), this film features a killer Santa and Mrs. Claus engaging in a killing spree for… reasons? It stars Simon Phillips as a growling, unhinged Santa who looks like he smells of stale lager and regret. Little warning: you are going to be seeing Phillips more than once on this list. Apparently terrible Christmas horror is his niche.

The acting is wooden, the police procedure is non-existent, and over 900 people on IMDb couldn’t even bring themselves to score it over 3.6/10. I’m not actually sure which one is worse: the original or the sequel (more about that in a second)? Let’s just say, you will get a laugh out of Once Upon a Time at Christmas, at the very least… Wait, what do you mean it’s not a comedy? It’s included with Prime Video.

Verdict: A police procedural so wooden it could be firewood, saved only by a delightfully grimy Santa performance.

Night 4: The Nights Before Christmas (2019) – The sequel nobody asked for

Director: Paul Tanter | IMDb: Link | IMDb User Score: 4.0/10 with 594+ Votes

Because one wasn’t enough, Simon Phillips returns in this sequel to Once Upon a Time at Christmas that is somehow both better and worse than the original. The Joker-esque Santa is back, slashing his way through a plot that involves an FBI agent who seems to have learned her trade from watching CSI on mute.

It leans harder into the “comic book villain” vibe, making it a bizarrely entertaining watch if you switch your brain off completely – I recommend doing it with a lot of alcohol. I just couldn’t get past how Sayla de Goede, as Mrs Claus, doesn’t stop moving her hands. It’s so annoying and reminded me of an idle animation in a video game.

Unfortunately, I actually reviewed The Nights Before Christmas so you can take a look at that by clicking the link. It’s on Plex and Prime Video (for rent or purchase so I am not even linking it; I don’t want to be responsible for someone spending money on it).

Verdict: Embraces full comic-book villainy for a sequel that is louder, dumber, and maybe even a little more watchable.

Night 5: The Naughty List of Mr. Scrooge (2024) – Hallmark goes to hell in a handbasket

Director: Jake Helgren | IMDb: Link | IMDb User Score: 4.5/10 with 276+ Votes

Jake Helgren is the king of glossy, made-for-TV slashers, and this is his festive magnum opus. A group of college friends reunite at a chalet for a “Secret Scrooge” gift exchange, only to be hunted by a killer in a Scrooge mask. The mask is terrifying for all the wrong reasons, and the melodrama is dialled up to eleven. It’s, for all intents and purposes, a Hallmark movie where everyone gets stabbed.

It sounds absolutely crazy but this formula can actually work really well. Just look at the absolute Lifetime style Christmas horror delight that is Mercy Christmas (2017). The Naughty List of Mr. Scrooge seems to give up about half way through, though and loses a lot of the thrills. Still, the premise is just so utterly ridiculous that it’s actually fun. Give it a try; it’s on Prime, Plex, and Tubi.

Verdict: Imagine a Hallmark movie where the romantic lead gets stabbed in the face. It’s glossy, melodramatic trash.

Night 6: Twas the Night (2023) – Neon lights, dim wits

Director: Joe Lujan | IMDb: Link | IMDb User Score: 3.7/10 with 66+ Votes

Visually, this anthology is actually quite stylish, bathed in neon lights and deep shadows. It looks far higher budget than it probably is. Narratively? It’s a car crash. A “storytelling criminal” terrorises a couple with tales of holiday horror as Jack Frost, The Gingerbread Man, and Krampus go on their own mini rampages.

The segments are disjointed and often make no damn sense at all. With that being said, the sheer commitment to the aesthetic is honestly commendable. It’s style over substance, but when the substance is this silly, that’s probably for the best. Get some mince pies, a few drinks, maybe some eggnog and just have a laugh. It’s on Plex, Tubi, and even YouTube.

Verdict: A visual feast with a narrative famine; watch it for the lighting, ignore the plot.

Night 7: I Know What You Did Last Christmas (2025) – The title gives away the quality of this one

Director: Gregory Hatanaka | IMDb: Link  | IMDb User Score: 4.5/10 with 68+ Votes

You knew it was coming, right? With the big-budget reboot of the slasher I Know What You Did Last Summer hitting cinemas this year, the low-budget market scrambled to catch up. Naturally, that has lead to the release of this inevitable festive parody. It is exactly what you expect: a group of friends, a dark secret, and a killer in a festive outfit picking them off one by one.

The budget was likely whatever was left on the director’s credit card and a packet of crisps, but it embraces the absurdity of the “legacy sequel” trend with open arms. It’s weirdly fun to see the ultra simple formula applied to a Christmas slasher movie.

Director Gregory William Randolph Jr. continues that ultra weird cross-over between so-bad-it’s-good horror and Lifetime style romance movies, too… Very strange. It’s out in cinemas on… Nah I am kidding, it’s obviously on Tubi completely free.

Verdict: A shameless, zero-budget parody that exists solely because the title was available.

Night 8: The Christmas Spirit (2023) – Luchador madness that makes zero sense

Director: Bennet De Brabandere | IMDb: Link | IMDb User Score: 4.8/10 with 149+ Votes

This might be the weirdest entry on the list. A man has the literal “Christmas Spirit” trapped in his head; okay, pretty odd. It’s the way it manifests itself that makes The Christmas Spirit so damn bizarre. It appears as a Mexican luchador wrestler who tells him to kidnap people. Now if that isn’t a good enough reason to to head on over to Plex or Prime Video to stream this then I don’t know what is?

It is a dark comedy that swings wildly between “psychological trauma” and “wrestling jokes”. It’s not scary, but it is extremely, confusingly strange, which, let’s be honest, makes it a must-watch for fans of the bizarre. It’s one thing to make a low budget festive horror movie but to make one like this? That takes some serious balls so give it a watch.

Verdict: A fever dream of a movie that answers the question: “What if the Christmas Spirit was a Mexican wrestler?”

Night 9: Nutcracker Massacre (2022) – Stiff acting, stiffer props

Director: Rebecca Matthews | IMDb: Link | IMDb User Score: 3.3/10 with 275+ Votes

From the production house that churns out films like The Curse of Humpty Dumpty, this is exactly what it says on the tin. A life-sized nutcracker doll comes to life and starts murdering people at a festive gathering. A user on IMDb describes this movie as somewhere between a soap-opera and a horror which sums it up just about perfectly.

The doll prop is stiff, the kills are hilarious, and the characters make decisions so utterly ridiculous that you’d be shouting at the TV if you actually gave a crap about them. It’s a doll slasher done on a shoestring and it’s glorious for how utterly farcical it is. I love little festive oddities like this and you can too because it is on Prime Video and Plex.

Verdict: The killer is a rigid prop and the acting is worse, making for unintentional comedy gold.

Night 10: Werewolf Santa (2023) – A fur suit of sadness

Director: Airell Anthony Hayles | IMDb: Link | IMDb User Score: 3.0/10 with 244+ Votes

Santa gets bitten by a werewolf. Chaos ensues. This UK production is a comedy-horror that relies heavily on a very obvious furry suit and a YouTuber character who is intentionally annoying (well, I hope it’s intentional). This is the lowest rated movie on this list of festive turds so, in some weird inverse way, that makes it the best, right?

It’s scrappy and silly, feeling every bit like a student film that accidentally got a distribution deal. It also features the British horror goddess Emily Booth which, at least for me, is worth the price of admission alone. If you like your horror with a side of “what the hell have I put on?”, this is the one. It’s on Paramount and Prime Video.

Verdict: A student-film level mess featuring a werewolf suit that defies description and dignity.

Night 11: Christmas Presence (2018) – Soap opera screams in a posh lodge

Director: James Edward Cook | IMDb: Link | IMDb User Score: 3.9/10 with 654+ Votes

Also known as Why Hide?, this British film tries to be a bit more psychological with mixed results (or should that be laughable results?). A group of friends (and frenemies) gather at a remote lodge, only to be stalked by a shapeshifting entity. It starts with abrasive, bitchy dialogue reminiscent of a soap opera, before descending into a “Who is the monster?” paranoia fest.

It’s slightly better made than others on this list, but still enjoyably melodramatic. I really like how the IMDb synopsis still has the “No subjective descriptions, just factual plot points within the character limit.” text prompt. It kinda lets you know what you are in for when it comes to low standards. Still, it’s fun! It’s also the only movie on our list that you have to pay to watch on Prime Video.

Verdict: It wants to be a psychological thriller but lands closer to a festive episode of EastEnders with gore.

Night 12: Santastein (2023) – It’s alive! Unfortunately

Director: Benjamin Edelman, Manuel Camalion | IMDb: Link | IMDb User Score: 3.7/10 with 260+ Votes

Finally! Someone has brought together Frankenstein and Santa… We can end on a high note. A scientist accidentally resurrects Santa Claus, but something goes wrong. Creating a Frankenstein-Santa hybrid with a thirst for blood. It is a slasher, a sci-fi, and a comedy all rolled into one. Hopefully that “comedy” part was intentional.

The practical effects are surprisingly charming and the film has an almost pantomime-like “let’s put on a show” energy that is kinda hard to dislike. It’s the perfect digestif for your 12-day binge of trash. This little snippet of trivia on IMDb is definitely worth a quick quote, too:

The writers/directors will neither confirm nor deny that when the three Christmas ghosts visited them to help them earn redemption for making “Santastein,” the Ghost of Christmas Past was, in fact, Mary Shelley.

It has 0 upvotes and 9 downvotes. I love it! Whatever you do, don’t pay the $10 rental fee for this one, it’s on YouTube completely free.

Verdict: A charmingly stupid mash-up that proves low budget doesn’t have to mean low effort.

Christmas Bonus: Silent Bite (2024) – Sucking the life out of Christmas

Director: Reyna Young | IMDb: Link  | IMDb User Score: 3.7/10 with 606+ Votes

Look, I’m a generous writer so I couldn’t end the list without giving you guys a Christmas bonus. With that being said, you may have preferred a subscription to the Jelly of the Month club than the movie wrapping up this list – Silent Bite (2024).

It’s Christmas Eve and a gang of thieves hide out in a vampire infested hotel. This movie screams From Dusk Till Dawn if From Dusk Till Dawn had a budget of roughly £14.50. The house is a nest of vampires, and the resulting clash is a masterclass in indie awkwardness. It’s also the third appearance of purveyor of poor festive horror Simon Phillips who not only stars in this but also wrote it, too.

The acting is often stiff but occasionally okay, the dialogue is laughable, the vampires look like they raided the clearance aisle of Walmart a few days after Halloween, and the pacing drags more than a family argument over Monopoly. It’s a rough watch, but a perfect addition to this list of festive failures. Take a look at our review of Silent Bite right here. It’s on Prime Video.

Verdict: A rough, indie vampire flick that drags like a sleigh on concrete, but fits the trashy theme perfectly.

Surviving the 12 Slays

There you have it. Twelve days (and a nice bonus day) of absolute cinematic coal to stuff in your stocking. If you actually managed to watch all of these back-to-back, please seek medical attention immediately. Or, at the very least, pour yourself a very stiff drink. A glass of Christmas Sherry isn’t going to cut it, here.

While these films won’t be winning any Oscars (unless there is a category for ‘Best Use of a Spirit Halloween Costume’), they possess a certain scrappy charm that big-budget blockbusters just can’t replicate and I absolutely love them for that! They are a reminder that all you need to make a movie is a camera, a few gallons of corn syrup, and a total lack of shame.

Thanks for spending your time at Knockout Horror and thanks for the support this year – it’s been amazing! Have a terrible Christmas and a horrific New Year.

🎁 Quick Picks: The Best of the Worst Christmas Horror

Most Fun to Watch: Santastein (2023)
Actually possesses a little bit of charm. It mixes sci-fi, slasher tropes, and comedy with a “let’s put on a show” energy that makes it perhaps the most watchable film on this list.

Most Bizarre Premise: The Christmas Spirit (2023)
A man possessed by the spirit of Christmas which manifests as a Mexican Luchador wrestler. It is deeply confusing, psychologically strange, and totally unique. I love it!

Best for Unintentional Laughs: Nutcracker Massacre (2022)
The stiffest killer doll in cinema history combined with soap-opera acting. Perfect for a rowdy group watch with plenty of drinks.

The “What Were They Thinking?” Award: Werewolf Santa (2023)
Worth clicking on just to see the werewolf costume which looks like it was bought from a discount fancy dress shop five minutes before filming started.

Most Unhinged Performance: The Nights Before Christmas (2019)
Simon Phillips returns as a Joker-esque Santa in a performance that chews so much scenery there is no set left standing. Utterly ridiculous but weirdly fun.

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