Generally, holidays signify a time of celebrations filled with joy, good cheer, and special time with loved ones. But for some reason (no complaints), the horror genre just loves twisting those cheerful occasions into terrifying tales of mystery and murder. Maybe it’s the darkness that lurks within the historical traditions, or maybe horror filmmakers simply love ruining our happiest days. Whatever the reason, holiday horrors manage to pull the trigger just in time. They’ve become a staple in the genre, and even though Halloween gets more than its fair share of stories, this list looks beyond the occasion and toward other celebrations spread across the year.
The fact that holidays can easily become horrifying if you let your imagination run wild doesn’t come as a surprise. Take Valentine’s Day, the joyous celebration of love and affection. There’s a definite madness skulking beneath all that read. Or consider Thanksgiving, a time when family and friends gather in unity and grace. But what happens when a sinister presence elevates bitter resentments and threatens to explode ugly secrets safely tucked away? For all you know, there are mad slashers hiding in plain sight in your very own kitchen. That said, these dark holiday tales are all filled with thrill and meaning. So let’s get started.
10 My Bloody Valentine (1981)
This Canadian slasher horror follows a vengeful and scary miner who returns from the grave on Valentine’s Day to murder the people of a small mining town. Known amongst the townsfolk as a mere legend, talks about Harry Warden, aka The Miner, were spread around like wildfire. But few believed it. His arrival after a group of friends defy his orders only creates more dread. My Bloody Valentine is a classic early ‘80s horror. And like the movies from the time, it is full of over-the-top gore and disturbing graphic violence. The killer himself uses gruesome mining tools like pickaxes and drills to murder his victims in extremely innovative ways. Director George Mihalka creates an outstanding small-town atmosphere using grim lighting and scared inhabitants. Overall, a fun film that toys with the perversion of love and Valentine’s Day.
9 Gremlins (1984)
Gremlins is a fan-favorite, and for all the right reasons. Following Billy Peltzer, whose father gifts him a pet from China, this twisted take on a Christmas classic sees mysterious little creatures wreak havoc on the holiday spirit across town. The movie begins with one little, seemingly innocent present – an adorable furry mogwai named Gizmo. Within minutes, it spirals into seasonal sadism as Billy’s failure to follow a certain instruction (exposure to water and bright lights). The creatures multiply and turn murderous; they waste no time destroying Christmas trees, devouring the buffet, and making life miserable for the residents. Gremlins achieves the kind of monster mayhem that is only fun around the holidays while creating a delicate balance between horror and comedy.
8 Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
As a sinister spin on the beloved Christmas carol, Silent Night, Deadly Night arrives as a holiday slasher that finds horrifying ways to ruin Christmas for a number of victims. Little Billy Chapman had watched an ax-wielding Santa brutally murder his parents as a child. Now all grown up, he starts working at a Santa hiring agency run by a cruel and unapproachable old woman. When she ends up dead, Billy himself dresses up as Saint Nick and enthusiastically goes on a killing spree with one motive: to dole out his sadistic brand of ‘justice’ by punishing those he deems naughty. The movie is clearly an exercise in outrageous excess because the killer indulges in extreme violence. But beneath all the gore lies a careful examination of how social isolation and mental illness can get to some during the festive season.
7 Addams Family Values (1993)
There’s something quite appealing about horrors set during summer camps – the atmospheric setting, an uplifting vibe, and the feeling of great danger lurking overhead. Sequel to The Addams Family, a very hit comedy, this one sees the Adams getting ready to send little Wednesday and Pugsley off to summer camp. But Wednesday’s bunk partner is a dreadful redhead who is planning to kill her to make her beloved uncle the camp director. Of course, what follows is chaos at Camp Chippewa as the Addamses bring their signature brand of morbidity and humor while trying to fit into this celebrated all-American environment. But the real horror arises when Wednesday’s would-be killer threatens to ruin her first crush. Addams Family Values takes the holiday horror trope and combines it with family dysfunction, the growing pains of adolescence, and campy laughter.
6 Leprechaun (1993)
Starring Jennifer Aniston and Shay Duffin, this 1993 original horror comedy follows the scheming, murderous Leprechaun as he hunts for his stolen pot of gold after being in captivity for ten years. Dan O'Grady first stole his gold in Ireland, and when the Leprechaun followed him home, he locked the elf in a crate. Until a decade later, when O’Grady rented the property for summer, and the neighbors released the Leprechaun. Now he’s out to viciously murder them and reclaim his treasure. The terrifying elements in the movie come not only from the Leprechaun’s methods of killing but also from his overall creepy personality, making him far more than your average luck-bestowing mischievous elf. Leprechaun is a movie that turns the holiday spirit into a fight for survival, which somehow is entertaining for the audience.
5 I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
Director Jim Gillespie weaves an atmospheric dread in I Know What You Did Last Summer and delivers a summer horror movie that is set around the Fourth of July. It centers around four teenagers who are stalked by a hook-handed killer exactly a year after they cover up a car accident involving a pedestrian. As the slaughter begins on the anniversary of the crash, the teens suspect a correlation between the two events and imagine the fisherman that they hit that night has returned for bloody revenge. The movie has all the scares and shocks that define the summer camp horror subgenre – from creepy and cruel fisherman villain to the isolated setting ripe for murder. However, it is that deeper sense of unease, the feeling of having kept secrets and letting that guilt fester within, and the threat of it resurfacing at any moment that truly builds the tension and turns the most festive night of the year into a slash fest.
4 Dead End (2003)
Fan of road trips? You’d probably want to be wary of hitchhikers, though, because Dead End comes as a warning and have you pondering on chance encounters and grisly disappearances. Set on an isolated country road, the movie follows the Harrington family on their way to a Christmas Eve gathering when they decide to take a shortcut and allow a hitchhiker and her infant to hop along. What follows is a suddenly darkened path, the family’s count rapidly decreasing in the name of accidents, and a chilling enclosed environment. Moreover, deeper horrors arise from the suspense and panic that one feels when nothing makes sense. Without caring so much about backstories or logic, Dead End delivers an end that is satisfying and mad.
3 Krampus (2015)
Krampus is a 2015 holiday horror-comedy directed by Michael Dougherty, and it centers on a dysfunctional family troubled by Krampus, a demonic creature from European folklore who punishes misbehaving, naughty children at Christmas. From Max, the kid who becomes Krampus’ victim, and using horror for laughs to delivering over-the-top creature effects and inventive kills, there are many elements that represent the dark side of the festive season. As dangers escalate and situations get worse, the family grows closer in spite of their differences to survive this nightmare. Ultimately, the movie uses incredible horror sequences to anchor the kind of character development seldom seen in the genre and instantly becomes a cult classic for that reason only.
2 Better Watch Out (2016)
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This 2016 Christmas black comedy film tells the story of Ashley, a babysitter who must defend a 12-year-old boy from intruders on Christmas Eve. Set on a peaceful suburban street, Better Watch Out is a home invasion thriller on the outside, but it slowly ratchets up the horror by setting most of the action within the four walls of the family home. As familiar environments turn into pure chaos, the scene becomes more claustrophobic by the second. The intruders themselves represent more than simple criminals, leaving disasters behind them, while the movie slams the audiences with unbelievable plot twists. The backdrop of a holy night and a setting with two young kids stuck inside only elevates the horror, making the movie a must-watch around the holidays.
1 Happy Death Day (2017)
Happy Death Day is a slasher-meets-groundhog-day movie that follows a college student who is repeatedly murdered on her birthday, only to wake up to relive the day over and over again until she can discover the killer’s true identity. The movie, which also has an interesting sequel, uses standard horror tropes – a masked murderer stalking students on the college campus – but infuses them with a clever time loop to make it humorous and gripping. As Theresa is forced to confront her own problematic behavior and toxic relationships while reliving the one brutal day, she transforms into a whole new person. The movie does a fantastic job of mixing gore and unsettling visuals along with quiet moments of self-reflection. Plus, the pacing really helps keep up the intrigue.