Holiday-themed horror films, holiday horror or christmas horror, are a horror subgenre of slasher films and typically involve a psychopathic killer stalking a sequence of victims in a violent manner during Christmas. The murders often are conducted with a bladed tool such as a knife, machete, or axe by someone dressed as Santa Claus, a snowman, an elf, or another Christmas character.
With origins dating back to the 1970s, holiday horror films come in short and long formats, use familiar Christmas themes (tinsel-decorated homes, creepy Christmas music, Santa Claus costume) that serve as a backdrop to terrorize audiences.
Bob Clark's Black Christmas (1974) is regarded as one of the earliest precursors of holiday horror and slasher films. The plot centers on a group of sorority sisters massacred by a sadistic killer during Christmas break and masterfully uses tension and suspense.
Other holiday horror films include:
"And All Through the House", segment of the anthology film Tales from the Crypt (1972)
Home for the Holidays (1972)
Silent Night, Bloody Night (1972)
Black Christmas (1974)
Christmas Evil (1980)
To All a Goodnight (1980)
Don't Open till Christmas (1984)
Gremlins (1984)
Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 (1987)
Elves (1989)
Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! (1989)
Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation (1990)
Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker (1991)
Santa Claws (1996)
Jack Frost (1997)
Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman (2000)
Dead End (2003)
The Gingerdead Man (2005)
Santa's Slay (2005)
Black Christmas (2006, remake of the 1974 film)
Inside (2007)
The Children (2008)
Gingerdead Man 2: Passion of the Crust (2008)
Deadly Little Christmas (2009)
Silent Night, Zombie Night (2009)
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)
Sint (2010)
Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver (2011)
Silent Night (2012)
Gingerdead Man vs. Evil Bong (2013)
All Through the House (2015)
A Christmas Horror Story (2015)
Krampus (2015)
