The Best Horror Christmas Movies On Shudder December 2022

Tis the season for presents, Santa’s reindeer, candy canes, and buckets of blood. It is that glorious time of year when holiday breaks offer days and nights of binge-watching movies in our pajamas. You know you don’t want to leave the house, so DoorDash those meals, have the liquor store deliver(they do that now), and make sure you have paid your wifi bill. It’s time for the annual Christmas Horror Movie Slugfest over on Shudder. They have some real holiday gems. If Christmas-themed gore isn’t your thing, don’t worry; I’ve got plenty of other lists for any sub-genre lover. If you are into psychological horror, ghosts, great movies you’ve never heard of, or just the grossest movies Shudder has to offer, we’ve got you covered.

All The Creatures Were Stirring

Ho, ho, no! The joyful spirit of the holidays is about to take one dark turn after another. From sadistic office parties and last-minute shopping nightmares, to vengeful stalkers and immortal demons, there’s plenty out there to keep you from getting out of bed to see what’s under the tree this holiday season. Constance Wu and Jonathan Kite headline a sensational ensemble cast in this devilish stocking stuffer of a movie. A SHUDDER EXCLUSIVE.

Cast: Constance Wu, Jonathan Kite, Jocelin Donahue, Ashley Clements, Mark Kelly

This is a really cool anthology movie that is much better than you expect it to be. The stories are all loosely woven together by Christmas, of course. The cast is good, and there are a few really good stories that make this worth your time. It’s not the best film you’ll see all break, but you could certainly do a lot worse. Have some spiked egg nog before watching; it will help you get through the lesser segments.

Anna and The Apocolypse

The night before Christmas, a zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven. Anna and her friends must fight, slash and sing their way to survival, facing hellish snowmen, an undead Santa, and bloodthirsty elves in a desperate race to reach their loved ones hiding out at their local high school. But the lucky few that make it find out that the human threat they face there is the most terrifying of all… With civilization falling apart around them, the only people they can truly rely on are each other.

Cast: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux

It’s rare that I would describe a holiday horror movie as delightful, especially when the body count is so high, but this is one delightful movie. It is so full of joy and humor, even with zombies chomping down on everyone’s brains. This zombie musical is one of the freshest takes on the subgenre and a personal favorite. Chug down the Zombie Brain shot and open a bag of beef jerky. That way, if an outbreak does happen, you have food on the go already in your hands.

Better Watch Out

This holiday season, you may be home, but you’re not alone… In this fresh and gleefully twisted spin on home-invasion horror, babysitter Ashley (Olivia DeJonge) must defend her young charges (Levi Miller, Ed Oxenbould) when intruders break into the house one snowy night – or so she thinks. A SHUDDER EXCLUSIVE.

Cast: Olivia DeJonge, Levi Miller, Ed Oxenbould, Dacre Montgomery, Patrick Warburton, Virginia Madsen

Better Watch Out is cleverly constructed and will keep you guessing. It’s scary, funny, cringey, and a jolly good time. You will think you know what’s going on and will be pleasantly surprised when the twists come. Don’t read any of the spoilers before watching, just stream it up. A Sugar Cookie Martini and some cookies would pair perfectly.

Hosts

When a family invites their neighbors over to celebrate Christmas Eve, they do not realize that their friends had just become hosts to a malicious entity hellbent on taking over the world. The family finds themselves fighting for their lives in a night of unimaginable terror.

Cast: Neal Ward, Nadia Lamin, Frank Jakeman

Admittedly there are some problems with this film, but the kills are pretty inventive, and there is something deliciously nasty about a boring dinner party turning into a fight for your holiday lives. The dialogue isn’t always perfect, and the acting could use some polish, but the premise is good, and there is plenty of holiday aggression. Go with an Espresso Martini and some pigs in a blanket cause you never know when you need a burst of energy, and it’s important to be a good host.

Christmas Bloody Christmas

It’s Christmas Eve, and Tori just wants to get drunk and party, but when a local toy store’s robotic Santa Claus goes haywire and begins a rampant killing spree through her small town, she’s forced into a battle for survival. A SHUDDER ORIGINAL

Cast: Riley Dandy, Sam Delich, Jonah Ray Rodrigues, Dora Madison, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Abraham Benrubi

You will be surprised by this fun little movie. It is much better than you expect it to be, and if you are looking for a respite from decking the halls, this is the film for you. Full of swearing, blood, and violence, it is a raunchy great time. Mix up a batch of Cranberry Crush and grab that family-sized bag of Cheese Balls because it is that kind of movie.

A Christmas Horror Story

It’s the season of joy, peace, and goodwill. Unless you live in Bailey Downs. Last Christmas Eve, two teens came to a grisly end in a school basement. Now, one year later, a new set of horrors has come to town. As three friends explore the site of the massacre, a malevolent spirit is determined to keep them there forever. And when a local family seeks reconciliation with an estranged aunt for the wrong reasons, they suddenly find themselves running in terror from Krampus, the demonic anti-Santa Claus. Not even St. Nick is immune to the terror as he fights back against a horde of zombie elves. This is destined to be a holiday no one will ever forget…

Cast: George Buza, William Shatner

This film is mostly on the list because who doesn’t love some William Shatner? Another anthology that actually doesn’t have a bad segment in the bunch. The zombie elves do steal the show though, so make sure you don’t miss that one. You will be surprised by just how much you enjoy this film. It’s good straightforward fun. There is something for everyone in this creative film, so clean out the pantry and fridge and try a bit of everything not expired. A big bowl of Holiday Rum Punch will hit the spot. Maybe change into sweatpants first, though.

Black Christmas

During a festive Yuletide party, a group of sorority sisters receives a creepy call from someone who claims he’s going to kill them all. The girls soon realize the threats were serious when one by one, they each fall prey to the mysterious maniac. After directing two relatively ignored horror flicks that later became cult classics (CHILDREN SHOULDN’T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS & DEATHDREAM), a Christmas miracle made Bob Clark’s 1974 classic a hit. A huge influence on John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN, BLACK CHRISTMAS is frequently credited with helping spawn the slasher subgenre.

Cast: Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder

The remake just came out and it’s not bad, but for my money, the original is still Queen. This campy, slasher is genuinely scary in large part to director Bob Clarke who creates a tense, claustrophobic story. The cast is great, and this once-maligned movie has become a cult classic. Grab your gal pals and tap that boxed wine. It’s time for pillow fighting and slashing. This is a must-watch for any best Christmas horror movie list, on Shudder or otherwise. The beautiful and deadly Silent Night cocktail is the way to go here. Eat like a college student and pair that with a bowl full of gummy bears and Doritos.

Deadly Games

Thomas is nine years old. He is a little genius, and he believes in Santa Claus. December 24th, midnight. Hidden, Thomas waits for Saint Nick, but he is about to experience the most frightening night of his entire life. Previously only available via bootleg, this Christmas horror gem made a year before Home Alone is stylish, bloody, and now fully restored.

Cast: Patrick Floersheim, Alain Musy, Brigitte Fossey, Louis Ducreux, François-Eric Gendron

If you are looking for a darker Home Alone, Deadly Games is your huckleberry. The scary Santa is really creepy and will have you thinking twice about encouraging a lurker to access your house while you sleep. Even if they do leave gifts. Watching this will no doubt spark a conversation about whether or not it was ripped off by Home Alone, as this movie was released one year before. Word of warning at around the 35-minute put down those chili dogs because a real dog has a really bad day. Animal lovers should look away. A Coquito would pair well with those chili dogs because the coconut will cut through the fire of those dogs.

The Advent Calendar

Eva has been paraplegic for the past three years. When her birthday arrives, she receives a strange advent calendar as a gift. But instead of the traditional sweets, every day reveals something different; sometimes pleasant but often terrifying, and increasingly bloody. It’s going to be a very deadly Christmas this year. A SHUDDER ORIGINAL.

Cast: Eugénie Derouand, Honorine Magnier, Clément Olivieri, Janis Abrikh

We are a huge fan of the holiday monkey’s paw with a twist. It is a grim film that lives in the bleakness of the season that so many experiences. It also pokes fun at the everything’s fine final girl ending that a lot of movies use as a cop-out. The Christmas season is tough for a lot of people, and humanity is the worst. The Advent Calendar uses those truths to good use to produce a solid holiday offering. A powerful Paper Plane is the perfect cocktail to choke down those bitter feelings. For obvious reasons, a box of excellent chocolate is a must.

A Creepshow Holiday Special

Have a holly, jolly Christmas with the merriest Crypt Keeper around. The episode titled Shapeshifter’s Anonymous is about a man, The Mindy Project’s Adam Pally, who is afraid he is a murderer and seeks help from an unusual support group. There are werewolf-hunting Santas and actual shapeshifters. I’m not kidding. You know what to expect. It will be a little bit gross, a little bit funny, a little bit scary, and 100% entertaining. You can catch the latest installment of Shudder’s Creepshow on Friday, December 18th, 2020. Make yourself a color-shifting Sunset Margarita while you wait. They are beautiful and appropriate.

Do not forget to tune into the Horror Pod Class and their weekly podcast on all things horror and science fiction. You might just learn something. Just for Signal Horizon readers, we have a free trial that lasts twice as long as their normal offer.  Signal Horizon readers can sign up for a 30-day free trial using the link below.  Tell us what you think, and let us know if you find something in the streaming service that warrants further discussion.

I hope we have given you some new movies to consider.  Snuggle down and enjoy the Best Christmas Horror Movies on Shudder. Let us know what you enjoyed this weekend.  Don’t forget to use the promo code SIGNAL for a whole month free!  Find all our Shudder list‘s here.