The 12 best Christmas horror movies to watch instead of corny comedies

Jacob SarkisianDec 25, 2020, 17:23 IST

The legend of the Krampus serves as the inspiration for many Christmas horror movies, including 2015's "Krampus."Universal Pictures

Corny Christmas movies are cute to watch over the holiday season, but too many of them can be a bit too sugar-sweet.
Instead, mix up your Christmas viewing with a grisly horror or blackly-comic slasher with these 12 Christmas-themed horror movies.
Or, if if you'd rather softer scary movies, watch horror-tinged family films like "Gremlins" or "The Nightmare Before Christmas."

'Dead of Night' (1945)

"Dead of Night" was directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Robert Hamer, and Basil Dearden. Eagle-Lion Films/Universal Pictures

"Gremlins" was directed by Joe Dante. Warner Bros.

"Silent Night, Deadly Night" was directed by Charles E. Sellier Jr. TriStar Pictures.

"The Nightmare Before Christmas" was directed by Henry Selick. Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

"Rare Exports: A Christmas Story" was directed by Jalmari Helander. FS Film Oy/Scanbox Entertainment/Chrysalis Films

"Sint" was directed by Dick Maas. A-Film

"Silent Night" was directed by Steven C. Miller. Anchor Bay Films

"A Christmas Horror Story" was directed by Grant Harvey, Steven Hoban, and Brett Sullivan. Image Entertainment/RLJ Entertainment

"Krampus" was directed by Michael Dougherty. Universal Pictures

"Better Watch Out" was directed by Chris Peckover. Well Go USA/Rialto Distribution

"Anna and the Apocalypse" was directed by John McPhail. Vertigo Releasing

"Black Christmas" was directed by Sophia Takal. Universal Pictures