When most people think of “Christmas movies,” the ones that come to mind are holiday classics like A Christmas Story, festive comedies like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, or romantic made-for-TV flicks shown on Hallmark Channel. But as any dedicated horror movie fan knows, those heartwarming films aren’t your only festive viewing options this time of year: Believe it or not, there are actually a number of Christmas horror movies you can watch and stream during the holiday season.
So, if you want to shake up your usual Christmas movie night routine this year, grab a group of your bravest friends and settle in for one of these holiday horror films. All of the movies listed here are available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video, so watching them is as easy as logging in to your Prime account. Just remember, the best Christmas horror movies aren’t for the faint of heart — so you might want to queue up one of our more light-hearted recommendations when you’re done watching the options below.
Black Christmas
This 1974 flick follows a group of sorority girls as they’re stalked by a terrifying stranger during their Christmas break. (For another take on this bone-chilling storyline, catch this year’s remake in theaters starting December 13.)
Gremlins
Don’t be fooled by Gremlins’ seemingly warm and fuzzy exteriors — these little creatures are not as sweet as they look. (If you’ve seen this 1984 Steven Spielberg classic, you know.)
Krampus
If European folklore is to be believed, those on the naughty list should look out for Krampus — a half-goat, half-demon who punishes bad children — this Christmas season.
Better Watch Out
A holiday babysitting gig takes a horrifying turn in this 2016 Christmas thriller.
Wind Chill
Emily Blunt stars in 2007’s Wind Chill, a chilling story about a college-age woman and her classmate who become stranded on the side of a remote highway around the holidays.
Anna and the Apocalypse
Okay, so Anna and the Apocalypse is a little bit more “comedy” than it is straight “horror” — but this fun zombie flick has a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, so we’d say it’s worth a watch.
A Christmas Horror Story
The terrifying Krampus also appears in this 2015 anthology film, which tells a collection of spooky stories that all take place on Christmas Eve.
Dead End
A family tries to take a shortcut on the way to their Christmas Eve dinner — which turns out to be a grave mistake.
Silent Night
If you enjoyed 1984’s Christmas slasher Silent Night, Deadly Night, you might want to give this loose remake from 2012 a try.
The Children
Watch The Children to find out what happens when kids become infected with a sickness that makes them turn against their parents during a Christmas vacation.
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
If you don’t mind watching a horror movie with subtitles, you’ll definitely want to add this dark Finnish film to your Christmas watch list.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
This Tim Burton favorite might not be especially spooky, per se, but we’d argue that the way it perfectly blends all things Halloween with all things Christmas totally earns it a spot on this list.
Source: goodhousekeeping.com/