We’ve hit December, and what better way to count down to the ‘big day’ than by sharing my three favourite Christmas horror movies?!
It’s a Wonderful Knife (2023)
What it’s about: Think It’s a Wonderful Life, but rather than looking back at what joy she brought to the world, Winnie is shown all the deaths she helped to prevent after killing a serial killer.
Why I love it: This movie is a silly fun time and very self-aware of that fact, so it goes HARD. The killings are gross, the characters are ridiculous, the story is fun and fast-paced and the characters are goofy. This movie was designed to be watched with too much mulled wine.
2. Black Christmas (1974)
What it’s about: Young women living in a sorority house are getting ready to go home for Christmas when they start getting obscene phone calls…
Why I love it: I remember when my husband and I first watched this movie. He said, “Let’s give it fifteen minutes,” which is our rule for movies we think will be terrible, but we watched the whole thing with our mouths wide open. This movie is creepy as heck and so voyeuristic. It’s also gruesome, has clever jump scares, never lets up and is genuinely frightening. The characters are also not just there to carry the plot, which is quite rare for a slasher, especially one from the 70s, but that does make the kills even nastier. A classic for a reason.
Side note: The remake is terrible, do not watch it.
1. Krampus (2015)
What it’s about: A dysfunctional family are not really embracing the Christmas spirit, so young Max decides to wish for them all to be reminded of it…and accidentally summons Krampus.
Why I love it: Krampus is just straight up my favourite Christmas movie of all time, not just my favourite Christmas horror. It’s somehow super cosy yet completely devastating. It’s relatable, hilarious, has loveable (and hatable) characters, and, most importantly…monstrous puppets. Oh, and Toni Collette. I love the look of this movie – the dense snow is so isolating and claustrophobic (pun not intended, but welcomed), all while looking beautifully Christmassy too. It just captures the misery of forced family time so well. It is the perfect blend of funny, scary, sweet and action-packed. Essentially, it’s akin to Gremlins, but way better (I mostly wrote that last bit for rage bait, but I will die on this hill).
If you fancy ready a spooky Christmassy novella during the most wonderful month of the year, The Festivities of Morkwood is available on e-book and paperback.
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