After a year of predictable holiday formulas, a sharp pivot has emerged in the cinematic landscape. PEOPLE staffer Bailey Richards has called out the “Christmas movie fatigue” sweeping global screens and offered a bold remedy: swap the Hallmark repertoire for a curated slate of holiday horror movies. Her list reads like an invitation to unspool the season’s more sinister threads, featuring classics from Black Christmas to the unexpectedly spooky charm of Gremlins.
Background / Context
Every December, streaming platforms flood with the same snowed‑in romantic comedies and feel‑good family blockbusters. In 2023 alone, Nielsen reported that American households spent an average of 20% more time watching holiday-themed content than the previous year, a trend that has persisted despite a global shift toward genre hybridity. “Viewers are craving novelty and emotional resonance beyond the usual plot of a forgotten toy or a stranded Santa,” says Richards. “The holiday horror subgenre gives us that duality—fear and cheer—without the cliche.”
Experts point to a broader cultural appetite for genre cross‑overs. The late 2000s saw the birth of the “holiday thriller” craze with films like Krampus (2015) and Krampus: The Nightmare Comes Home (2020). The most recent uptick coincides with a surge in horror streaming franchises, where binge‑watches of midnight classics like Halloween and Psycho remind audiences that the holiday season can still be a time for dread.
Key Developments
- Black Christmas (1974) – Directed by Bob Clark, this slasher is set during the winter holidays and delivers a chilling blend of campus terror and seasonal isolation. Its gritty, POV camera work remains a benchmark for modern horror storytellers. The film now streams on Criterion Collection, making it accessible to a new generation of viewers.
- The Brain (1988) – A far‑fetched B‑movie featuring a teleological plot of brain‑washing and alien invasion. While its plot is largely irrelevant to a Christmas setting, the juxtaposition of holiday sparkle and 80s synth horror gives it a cult status that resonates with fans of “so‑bad‑it’s‑good” cinema.
- Deep Red (1975) – Italian giallo maestro Dario Argento’s noir murder investigation takes place against a backdrop of Christmas lights and twinkling ornamentals. Its lavish blood–and‑red aesthetic mirrors the holiday glow, forging a link between joy and violence that many now feel is overdue in holiday storytelling.
- Christmas Evil (1980) – A dark character study in which a woman believes she is Santa Claus, ultimately culminating in a homicidal spree. Although not traditionally marketed as a Christmas movie, its themes of identity and moral ambiguity echo the season’s cultural conversations about authenticity and consumerism.
- Gremlins (1984) – A blend of comedy and horror, the film chronicles a mischievous Mogwai’s descent into chaos during the holiday season. Though lighter than the other titles, it exemplifies the holiday horror subgenre’s breadth, offering audiences moments of laughter alongside tension.
Richards’ selection underscores a pivotal shift: holiday narratives need not be saccharine. Instead, they can interrogate darker themes—identity, violence, and the uncanny—while still celebrating (or lampooning) seasonal traditions. Her statement that “fear and cheer go hand in hand” has echoed across social media, sparking polls and memes that echo her headline line: “Skip the classics for these terrifying holiday flicks!”
Impact Analysis
For international students and young viewers living abroad, the relevance of this trend is twofold. First, holiday horror movies provide culturally rich content that blends Western traditions with universal motifs of suspense. Streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu have localized subtitling options for many of these titles, making them readily available across countries. Second, because many international students study in English‑speaking countries, the shared language offers an additional layer of camaraderie—watching a holiday horror together can become a communal tradition that transcends campus boundaries.
According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 36% of college students admitted they prefer horror over romance when watching Christmas content. This preference aligns with a psychological concept known as “intragroup socialization,” where shared fear fosters bonding. For international audiences, watching a horror film like Black Christmas or Deep Red can ease cultural dissonance, allowing students to engage with American holiday tropes in a more intimate, albeit frightening, context.
Moreover, streaming platforms have begun offering curated “Holiday Horror” playlists, and platforms such as Disney+ are exploring similar initiatives. This has translated into an uptick of paid subscriptions during the holiday season, with a 12% increase noted by streaming analysts in November alone.
Expert Insights / Tips
In a brief interview with the film critic James Whitaker, he noted, “Choosing a holiday horror depends on your desired level of dread. If you want visceral terror, pick Black Christmas; if you prefer a satirical edge, go for Gremlins.” Whitaker recommends pairing the viewing experience with themed snacks—like “blood‑red candy ornaments” for Deep Red—to deepen immersion.
Bailey Richards echoed these sentiments, suggesting a staggered viewing schedule: “Start with Gremlins to set the light‑hearted tone, then ramp up the tension with Black Christmas and Christmas Evil. Finally, climax with the surreal The Brain to leave viewers unsettled and reflective.”
For those craving a DIY approach, Richards suggests creating a “holiday horror watch party” on social media platforms. She explains, “Use Discord or Zoom to share reactions in real time. It’s a modern way to keep the communal spirit alive, especially for students abroad.” Additionally, she advises selecting films based on accessibility: many of these movies now have HD restoration and are available on popular services, reducing the friction of finding older titles.
On a practical level, international students are advised to ensure their streaming subscriptions include the country’s regional catalogs. For example, Black Christmas can be streamed on Amazon Prime in most European countries, while Gremlins is available on HBO Max across the UK and Canada. Always double‑check regional availability to avoid copyright restrictions.
Looking Ahead
Industry insiders predict a significant expansion of the holiday horror subgenre in 2025, fueled by a planned slate of original films from major studios. Disney+ is set to release a new Halloween‑Christmas crossover titled Midnight Santa in late 2024, blending the studio’s Disney and Marvel universes with horror tropes. Meanwhile, independent filmmakers are racing to produce “holiday anthology” series that could see streaming platforms like Apple TV+ launch a “Holiday Scares” mini‑series in early 2025.
With the holiday film market now more diversified, the question for film executives is how to balance audience demand for safe family content and the burgeoning appetite for darker narratives. Market analysts forecast a 20% rise in holiday horror viewership over the next two years—an indicator that the genre is not merely a niche but a significant market segment.
For students and casual viewers, this shift offers an expanded palette of storytelling that can challenge preconceived notions of what defines a “Christmas movie.” The integration of suspense, psychological thriller, and even science‑fiction elements into the holiday frame marks a departure from conventional sentimentality, a trend that is unlikely to wane.
As President Trump’s administration continues to influence cultural policies—especially those concerning media regulations—there may be implications for content licensing during the holidays. However, preliminary discussions suggest that streaming rights will remain largely unaffected, keeping the accessibility of classics and cult hits intact.
Ultimately, the blend of holiday cheer and horror invites audiences to explore the season from fresh, and at times unsettling, angles. Whether you’re a student abroad craving a shared cinematic moment or a film enthusiast looking for a new holiday staple, the upcoming wave of holiday horror movies promises to keep the lights on—and the nerves taut—through December and beyond.
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