List of holiday horror films

Holiday-themed horror films or holiday horror are a subgenre of horror films set during holidays. Holiday horror films can be presented in short or long formats, and typically utilize common themes, images, and motifs from the holidays during which they are set, often as methods by which the villain may murder their victims.[1][2]

Film scholars Chris Vander Kaay and Kathleen Fernandez-Vander Kaay explain the subgenre as such: "The expression 'adding insult to injury' is an excellent encapsulation of the motivation behind the horror movie obsession with holidays (aside from the obvious desire to brand a killer with a theme and costume that can be revisited many times within a lucrative film franchise). The holiday is a place for happiness and family... The horror movie loves nothing more than irony (except perhaps a good death scene), and there is very little more ironic than the fear and isolation of a horror movie taking place right in the middle of the festivities."[3]

List of films

The following is a list of holiday horror films that depict or are set during a holiday or holiday season.

Key
Chinese New Year films Films that feature Chinese New Year
Groundhog Day films Films that feature Candlemas and/or Groundhog Day
Mardi Gras films Films that feature Mardi Gras
Valentine's Day films Films that feature Valentine's Day
St. Patrick's Day films Films that feature Saint Patrick's Day
April Fools' Day films Films that feature April Fools' Day
Easter films Films that feature Easter
Earth Day films Films that feature Earth Day
Arbor Day films Films that feature Arbor Day
Walpurgis Night and May Day films Films that feature Walpurgis Night and/or May Day
Films that feature Cinco de Mayo
Mother's Day films Films that feature Mother's Day
Memorial Day films Films that feature Memorial Day
Juneteenth films Films that feature Juneteenth
Father's Day films Films that feature Father's Day
Midsummer films Films that feature Midsummer
Independence Day (United States) films Films that feature Independence Day (United States)
Labor Day Films that feature Labor Day
Halloween films Films that feature Halloween
Día de Muertos films Films that feature Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead)
🪔 Films that feature Diwali
Thanksgiving films Films that feature Thanksgiving
Hanukkah films Films that feature Hanukkah
Christmas films Films that feature Christmas
New Year's films Films that feature New Year's Eve and/or New Year's Day

1900s
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1901 Scrooge, or, Marley's Ghost United Kingdom [4]

1910s
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1916 The Right to Be Happy United States [4]

1920s
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1921 The Phantom Carriage Sweden Based on the book Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness!
1922 Häxan Denmark-Sweden
1922 The Headless Horseman United States
1923 A Midsummer Night's Scream United States Short film

1930s
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1933 Mystery of the Wax Museum United States
1936 The Devil-Doll United States

1940s
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1944 Christmas Holiday United States
1944 The Curse of the Cat People United States
1945 Dead of Night United Kingdom Anthology film

1950s
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1958 The Phantom Carriage Sweden Remake of the 1921 film

1960s
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1960 Macario Mexico
1961 Blast of Silence United States
1964 At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul Brazil

1970s
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1970 La Noche de Walpurgis Spain [5]
1971 The Fifth Cord Italy
1972 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? United Kingdom
1972 Tales from the Crypt United Kingdom Anthology film [6]
1972 Frogs United States [7]
1972 Home for the Holidays United States Television film
1972 Silent Night, Bloody Night United States
1973 The Wicker Man United Kingdom [8]
1973 El Retorno de Walpurgis Spain
1974 Black Christmas Canada
1974 The Bloody Exorcism of Coffin Joe Brazil
1975 Jaws United States Independence Day (United States) films
1975 Night Train Murders Italy
1975 Deep Red Italy
1976 God Told Me To United States [9][10]
1978 Mardi Gras Massacre United States
1978 Halloween United States [11]

1980s
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1980 Terror Train United States [8]
1980 To All a Goodnight United States [12]
1980 Christmas Evil United States
1980 Maniac United States
1980 New Year's Evil United States
1980 Ms .45 United States
1981 My Bloody Valentine Canada Also takes place during Friday the 13th
1981 Halloween II United States
1981 Home Sweet Home United States
1982 Humongous Canada [13]
1982 Creepshow United States Anthology film
1982 The Dorm That Dripped Blood United States
1982 Halloween III: Season of the Witch United States
1982 Trick or Treats United States
1982 Hospital Massacre United States
1982 Bloodbeat United States/France [14]
1983 The Being United States
1984 Don't Open till Christmas United Kingdom
1984 Gremlins United States
1984 Silent Night, Deadly Night United States
1985 Trancers United States
1985 The Return of the Living Dead United States [15]
1985 Silver Bullet United States [15]
1985 The Midnight Hour United States Television film [16]
1986 April Fool's Day United States [17]
1986 Killer Party Canada/United States [18]
1986 Slaughter High United Kingdom/United States [19]
1986 Trick or Treat United States [20]
1987 Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 United States
1987 Blood Rage United States
1987 Bloody New Year United Kingdom
1988 The Brain Canada
1988 Lady in White United States [21]
1988 Critters 2: The Main Course United States [22][23]
1988 Maniac Cop United States
1988 Night of the Demons United States
1988 Nightmare Beach United States/Italy
1988 Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers United States
1988 Deadly Dreams United States [24][25][26]
1988 Iced United States
1989 3615 code Père Noël France
1989 Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers United States
1989 Elves United States
1989 Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! United States

1990s
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1990 Graveyard Shift United States
1990 Maniac Cop 2 United States Although it is a direct sequel that takes place immediately after the events of Maniac Cop (which takes place around St. Patrick's Day), Maniac Cop 2 clearly takes place at Christmastime, which creates a significant continuity error throughout the two films.
1990 Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation United States Direct-to-video
1991 The Boneyard United States Direct-to-video [27]
1991 Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker United States Direct-to-video
1991 Omen IV: The Awakening United States/Canada Television film
1992 Stepfather III United States Easter films Television film [28]
1993 Amityville: A New Generation United States Direct-to-video [29]
1993 The Nightmare Before Christmas United States
1994 Night of the Demons 2 United States
1994 Leprechaun 2 United States
1995 The Granny United States Direct-to-video [30]
1995 The Day of the Beast Spain/Italy [31][32]
1995 Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers United States
1995 Jack-O United States
1996 Uncle Sam United States
1996 Santa Claws United States
1996 Little Witches United States
1997 Intensity United States Television film [33]
1997 Night of the Demons 3 United States
1997 I Know What You Did Last Summer United States
1998 Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County United States Television film [34]
1998 Halloween H20: 20 Years Later United States
1999 Zombie! vs. Mardi Gras United States
1999 Lovers Lane United States Direct-to-video [35]
1999 End of Days United States
1999 Resurrection United States
1999 Witchouse United States Direct-to-video [36]
1999 Memorial Day United States

2000s
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
2000 Bless the Child United States
2000 Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman United States
2000 Ginger Snaps Canada
2001 The Christmas Season Massacre United States
2002 Halloween: Resurrection United States
2003 Dead End United States
2003 House of 1000 corpses United States
2003 Midsommer Denmark
2003 Shredder United States
2003 Zero Day United States
2004 Hellbent United States
2004 Satan's Little Helper United States
2005 All Souls Day United States
2005 Boogeyman Germany/United States/New Zealand [37][38]
2005 The Gingerdead Man United States
2005 Santa's Slay United States
2006 The Wicker Man United States [8]
2006 Easter Bunny, Kill! Kill! United States [8]
2006 Halloween Night United States
2006 Black Christmas United States Remake of the 1974 film [39]
2006 Séance United States [40]
2007 El Muerto United States
2007 April Fools United States Direct-to-video [41]
2007 Grindhouse United States Anthology film, one of the fake movie trailers shown is for the film Thanksgiving, a slash horror film taking place on the Thanksgiving holiday

[42][43]

2007 Halloween United States Remake of the 1978 film
2007 Wind Chill United States
2007 La leyenda de la Nahuala Mexico
2007 Trick 'r Treat United States [44]
2007 Inside France
2008 April Fool's Day United States Remake of the 1986 film
2008 The Children United Kingdom [45][46][47]
2008 Gingerdead Man 2: Passion of the Crust United States
2008 Pontypool Canada [48]
2008 Solstice United States Remake of Midsommer [49][50]
2008 ThanksKilling United States
2009 My Bloody Valentine United States Remake of the 1981 film [51]
2009 Dead Snow Norway [52][53]
2009 Earth Day United States
2009 Halloween II United States Sequel to the 2007 remake
2009 Deadly Little Christmas United States
2009 Silent Night, Zombie Night United States

2010s
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
2010 Atrocious Spain
2010 Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale Finland
2010 Sint The Netherlands
2011 Father's Day United States
2011 The Wicker Tree United Kingdom [8]
2011 The Melancholy Fantastic United States Re-released in 2016 as Doll in the Dark
2011 Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver United States
2011 Livid France [54][55][56]
2012 Red Clover United States Made for television
2012 Silent Night United States Loose remake of Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
2012 Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines United States Direct-to-video
2013 Cinco de Mayo United States
2013 All Hallows' Eve United States
2013 Christmas Cruelty! Norway [57]
2013 Antisocial Canada
2013 Gingerdead Man vs. Evil Bong United States
2013 Silent Night, Bloody Night: The Homecoming United States [58]
2014 Among the Living Mexico
2014 México Bárbaro Mexico
2014 Beaster Day: Here Comes Peter Cottonhell United States [59]
2014 Kristy United States [60]
2015 Night of the Living Deb United States [61][62]
2015 Knock Knock United States
2015 All Hallows' Eve 2 United States
2015 All Through the House United States
2015 Noc Walpurgi Poland
2015 A Christmas Horror Story United States
2015 Krampus United States
2015 Krampus: The Reckoning United States Direct-to-video [63]
2015 Red Christmas Australia
2015 Tales of Halloween United States
2015 Muck United States
2015 Rage: Midsummer's Eve Finland
2016 Bloody Bobby United States
2016 Arbor Demon United States
2016 Krampus Unleashed United States Direct-to-video [64]
2016 Holidays United States Anthology film
2016 Better Watch Out Australia/United States
2016 31 United States
2016 Terrifier United States
2017 Groundhog United States
2017 The Recall Canada [65]
2017 It United States [15]
2017 Anna and the Apocalypse United Kingdom/United States
2017 Truth or Dare United States
2017 10/31 United States Anthology film
2017 Mercy Christmas United States
2017 Mother Krampus United States [66]
2017 Once Upon a Time at Christmas United Kingdom
2018 Rottentail United States [67]
2018 Halloween United States
2018 Mother Krampus 2 United States
2018 Secret Santa Canada [68]
2019 Escape Room United States [69][70]
2019 Midsommar United States
2019 Fractured United States [71][72]
2019 Black Christmas United States Remake of the 1974 film [73]
2019 Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark United States/Canada [74]
2019 Trick United States [75][76][77]
2019 Deathcember Germany Anthology film [78][79]
2019 Holiday Hell United States Anthology film [80]
2019 Hanukkah United States [81]

2020s
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
2020 Black Pumpkin United States
2020 Hubie Halloween United States [82]
2020 A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting United States [83]
2020 Blood Pi United States [84]
2020 The Last Thanksgiving United States
2020 Toys of Terror United States
2020 Happy Horror Days United States Valentine's Day films St. Patrick's Day films Easter films Independence Day (United States) films Labor Day Halloween films Thanksgiving films Hanukkah films New Year's films Anthology film
2020 It Cuts Deep United States [85]
2021 Red Snow United States
2021 St. Patrick's Day United States
2021 Spiral United States
2021 Halloween Kills United States
2022 Nian United States Short film
2022 The Blackening United States [86]
2022 Terrifier 2 United States
2022 Halloween Ends United States
2022 The Mean One United States
2023 Scream VI United States
2023 Dark Harvest United States [87][88][89]
2023 Thanksgiving United States
2023 It's a Wonderful Knife United States

See also

References
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  2. Baker, Tom "10 Ridiculous Holiday Horror Films", What Culture, 11 December 2014.
  3. Vander Kaay & Fernandez-Vander Kaay 2016, pp. 98–9.
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  85. "[Trailer] Love Hurts in Christmas Horror Comedy 'It Cuts Deep' this November!".
  86. Powster. "THE BLACKENING | Official Website | June 16 2023". THE BLACKENING | Official Website | June 16 2023. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
  87. https://ihorror.com/new-trailer-unveiled-for-dark-harvest-a-glimpse-into-a-terrifying-halloween-legend/
  88. https://dailydead.com/horror-highlights-dark-harvest-killher-head-count-aberrance/
  89. https://wickedhorror.com/horror-reviews/dark-harvest-is-the-halloween-horror-hit-of-2023/

Works cited
  • Jones, Alan-Bertaneisson (2010). Fright Xmas. AuthorHouseUK. ISBN 978-1-452-06199-3.
  • Muir, John Kenneth (2012). Horror Films of the 1980s. Vol. 1. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. ISBN 978-0-786-47298-7. OCLC 840902442.
  • Vander Kaay, Chris; Fernandez-Vander Kaay, Kathleen (2016). Horror Films by Subgenre: A Viewer's Guide. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-476-62283-5.
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