The Best Christmas Horror Movies to Watch in 2023

Halloween is barely behind us, but we as a culture are already starting to think about Christmas. If you're not ready to let go of the horrors of spooky season just yet, or if the holiday cheer is just a little too much for you to handle, there's a whole world of Christmas-themed scary movies for you to check out.

We've put together a list of the best Christmas horror movies to watch in 2023 on Max, Amazon Prime Video, and more. Note: The movies on this list might jump around across the various streaming services as it gets closer to Christmas, and we'll keep this post updated with all that information.

More recommendations: The Best Christmas Movies to Watch in 2023

Krampus

One of the most high-profile Christmas horror movies in recent memory, Krampus is based on the German folklore about a demonic beast who kills bad kids, and centers on a dysfunctional family who have to band together to protect each other from the monster. This movie often verges on ridiculous — there's a scene where a bunch of gingerbread cookies come to life, for example — but that's part of the fun. Also part of the fun: It stars Adam Scott and Toni Collette! [Trailer]   

Black Christmas

This '70s horror film follows a group of sorority sisters who are stalked by a killer during the holiday season. Its influence on the slasher genre can't be overstated, and its final scene will stick with you long after the movie has ended. The movie was remade in 2006 by The X-Files' Glen Morgan with Katie Cassidy, Michelle Trachtenberg, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and remade poorly in 2019 by Blumhouse with Imogen Poots. [Trailer] 

Silent Night

Keira Knightley and Matthew Goode star in this dark comedy about a group of friends who get together for one last Christmas before a mysterious apocalyptic event wipes out society. With doom lurking just outside, the group is left grappling with the moral dilemma of how to handle their inevitable impending deaths. [Trailer] 

Gremlins

Steven Spielberg produced this creature feature about mischievous mogwai who wreak havoc on a town on Christmas Eve. Fun fact: Gremlins is the reason the MPAA invented the PG-13 rating, at Spielberg's suggestion. [Trailer] 

The Lodge

Riley Keough plays a soon-to-be step-mother spending Christmas at her fiancé's remote lodge along with his two children. There, she and the kids begin to experience a series of terrifying and unexplained events, making them question what's real and what's not. [Trailer] 

Jack Frost

Not to be confused with the 1998 Michael Keaton movie of the same name, this Jack Frost is definitely not for kids. When a serial killer transforms into a snowman (just go with it), he sets off on a murder spree. Although Jack Frost was a direct-to-video release and critically panned, it's developed a cult following over the years thanks to how much stupid fun it is. [Trailer] 

Anna and the Apocalypse

This 2017 horror musical (seriously!) is set in a small Scottish town under attack by zombies at Christmas, forcing a group of students to fight for their survival as they sing, dance, and decapitate. It's weird and original and a whole lot of fun. [Trailer] 

Violent Night

David Harbour plays a jaded, ruthless version of Santa Claus who, on Christmas Eve, defends a family from a group of mercenaries who have taken them hostage. String lights become restraints, candy canes are sharpened into weapons, and John Leguizamo co-stars as a hired gun nicknamed "Mr. Scrooge." Think of it as this generation's Die Hard, but gorier and more irreverent. [Trailer]