Ashley tied up in Better Watch Out

10 Best Holiday Horror Movies to Watch This December

Slash the halls will boughs of blood

We wish you a merry—no, I’m just going to say happy holidays. It’s inclusive of folks who don’t celebrate the incredibly commercialized (not to mention hijacked) holiday, which originated as a Pagan holiday. Alright, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty about how the holidays can be a creepy time. X-mas horror can be a lot of fun to watch. It takes what people perceive as a happy time of year (who are we kidding) and throws some blood on it.

Recommended Videos

What movies should you check out or rewatch as you yearn for the snow to go away? Scroll down and enjoy my listicle as a little gift to you. I can guarantee you’ll find something to enjoy as an imaginary fire rages on.

Slash the halls

jess staring out the window in Black Christmas
(Ambassador Film Distributors and Warner Bros.)

People love to talk shit about slashers for being empty and mindless. And I won’t deny that some slashers can certainly be mindless, but there have been quite a few iconic festive slashers. Black Christmas (1974) for instance helped spawn the other slashers we know and love, like Violent Night that just recently slashed its way into theaters. Plus, slashers tend to range in tone from comedic to very serious like the original Black Christmas. Therefore, you’re guaranteed a good watch one way or another. Potentially from the suggestions below!

  • Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
  • P2 (2007)
  • Christmas Bloody Christmas (releasing on Dec 9th in theaters and on Shudder)

Psychological horror rides

Grace in the attic in The Lodge
(Stage 6 Films and Neon)

Who doesn’t love mind-fuckery while standing under the mistletoe? Psychological horror tends to draw divisive responses from the horror world. Occasionally folks will say a movie is too slow and not scary enough. I personally love how psychological horror forces us to question ourselves. Combine those unsettling feelings with snow and batshit behavior and you’re golden. The small selection below may entice you. 

  • The Shining (1980)
  • Better Watch Out (2016)
  • The Lodge (2019)

Miscellaneous

Gizmo looking so cute in Gremlins
(Warner Bros. Pictures)

You can think of this section as a grab bag so to speak. If you’ve never watched any of them and pick on a whim, it might make for an interesting experience. I’ve chosen a range of horror movies from different subgenres (this is the miscellaneous section after all) for you to indulge in. Some of these are scarier than others and that’s quite alright. I must add that I’ve never seen the last movie, but it seems to come highly recommended.

  • Gremlins (1984)
  • Dead End (2003)
  • Krampus (2015)
  • Anna and the Apocalypse (2018)

(featured image: Well Go USA)


The Mary Sue is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Vanessa Maki
Vanessa Maki
Vanessa Maki (she/her) is a queer Blerd and contributing writer for The Mary Sue. She first started writing for digital magazines in 2018 and her articles have appeared in Pink Advocate (defunct), The Gay Gaze (defunct), Dread Central and more. She primarily writes about movies, TV, and anime. Efforts to make her stop loving complex/villainous characters or horror as a genre will be futile.