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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] The genre has its own subgenres, such as Christmas horror.[3][4]

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."[5]

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List of films

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

1900s

More information Year, Film ...
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1901 Scrooge, or, Marley's Ghost United Kingdom Christmas [6]
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1910s

More information Year, Film ...
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1916 The Right to Be Happy United States Christmas [6]
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1920s

More information Year, Film ...
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1921 The Phantom Carriage Sweden New Year's Eve/New Year Based on the book Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness!
1922 Häxan Denmark-Sweden Walpurgis Night / May Day
1922 The Headless Horseman United States Halloween
1923 A Midsummer Night's Scream United States Midsummer Short film
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1930s

More information Year, Film ...
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1931 Dracula United States Walpurgis Night/May Day
1933 Mystery of the Wax Museum United States New Year's Eve/New Year
1936 The Devil-Doll United States Christmas
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1940s

More information Year, Film ...
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1944 Christmas Holiday United States Christmas
1944 The Curse of the Cat People United States Christmas
1945 Dead of Night United Kingdom Christmas Anthology film
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1950s

More information Year, Film ...
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1958 The Phantom Carriage Sweden New Year's Eve/New Year Remake of the 1921 film
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1960s

More information Year, Film ...
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1960 Macario Mexico Dia de Muertos
1960 Psycho United States Christmas
1961 Blast of Silence United States Christmas
1964 Castle of Blood Italy / France All Soul's Eve
1964 At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul Brazil Dia de Muertos
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1970s

More information Year, Film ...
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1970 La Noche de Walpurgis Spain Walpurgis Night / May Day [7]
1971 The Fifth Cord Italy New Year's Eve/New Year
1971 Web of the Spider Italy/ France/ Germany All Soul's Eve
1972 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? United Kingdom Christmas
1972 Tales from the Crypt United Kingdom Christmas, Valentine Anthology film [8]
1972 Frogs United States Independence Day [9]
1972 Home for the Holidays United States Christmas Television film
1972 Silent Night, Bloody Night United States Christmas
1973 The Wicker Man United Kingdom Walpurgis Night / May Day [10]
1973 El Retorno de Walpurgis Spain Walpurgis Night / May Day
1973 The Legend of Hell House United Kingdom Christmas
1974 Persecution United Kingdom Christmas
1974 People Toys United States Christmas
1974 Black Christmas Canada Christmas
1974 The Bloody Exorcism of Coffin Joe Brazil Christmas
1975 Jaws United States Independence Day
1975 Night Train Murders Italy Christmas
1975 Deep Red Italy Christmas
1976 God Told Me To United States Saint Patrick's Day [11][12]
1976 The Clown Murders Canada Halloween
1976 To the Devil a Daughter United Kingdom Halloween
1977 Rabid Canada Christmas
1978 Mardi Gras Massacre United States Mardi Gras
1978 Halloween United States Halloween [13]
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1980s

More information Year, Film ...
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1980 Terror Train United States New Year's Eve/New Year [10]
1980 To All a Goodnight United States Christmas [14]
1980 Christmas Evil United States Christmas
1980 Maniac United States Christmas
1980 New Year's Evil United States New Year's Eve/New Year
1980 Ms .45 United States Halloween
1981 My Bloody Valentine Canada Valentine Also takes place during Friday the 13th
1981 Halloween II United States Halloween
1981 Home Sweet Home United States Thanksgiving
1981 Ghostkeeper Canada New Year's Eve/New Year
1981 The Hand United States Christmas
1982 Humongous Canada Labor Day [15]
1982 Creepshow United States Father's Day Anthology film
1982 The Dorm That Dripped Blood United States Christmas
1982 Halloween III: Season of the Witch United States Halloween
1982 Trick or Treats United States Halloween
1982 Hospital Massacre United States Valentine
1982 Bloodbeat United States/France Christmas [16]
1983 The Being United States Easter
1984 Don't Open till Christmas United Kingdom Christmas
1984 Gremlins United States Christmas
1984 Silent Night, Deadly Night United States Christmas
1984 Night of the Comet United States Christmas
1984 Tales of the Third Dimension United States Christmas Anthology film
1984 Sole Survivor United States Christmas
1985 Trancers United States Christmas
1985 The Oracle United States Christmas/ New Year
1985 The Return of the Living Dead United States Independence Day [17]
1985 Silver Bullet United States Independence Day [17]
1985 The Midnight Hour United States Halloween Television film [18]
1986 April Fool's Day United States April Fools [19]
1986 Killer Party Canada/United States April Fools [20]
1986 Slaughter High United Kingdom/United States April Fools [21]
1986 Trick or Treat United States Halloween [22]
1987 Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 United States Christmas
1987 Outback Vampires Australia Christmas Television film
1987 Night Visitors United States Christmas Direct-to-video
1987 Blood Rage United States Thanksgiving
1987 Bloody New Year's Eve/New Year United Kingdom New Year's Eve/New Year's
1987 Dead of Winter United States New Year's Eve/ New Year
1988 The Brain Canada Christmas
1988 Trapped Alive America Christmas Direct-to-video
1988 Lady in White United States Halloween, Christmas [23]
1988 Critters 2: The Main Course United States Easter [24][25]
1988 Maniac Cop United States Saint Patrick's Day
1988 Night of the Demons United States Halloween
1988 Nightmare Beach United States/Italy Easter
1988 Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers United States Halloween
1988 Deadly Dreams United States Christmas [26][27][28]
1988 Faceless France Christmas
1988 Iced United States New Year's Eve/New Year
1989 3615 code Père Noël France Christmas
1989 Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers United States Halloween
1989 Communion United States Boxing Day
1989 Elves United States Christmas
1989 I, Madman United States Christmas
1989 Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! United States Christmas Direct-to-video
1989 Ghostbusters II United States Christmas, New Year's Eve/ New Year
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1990s

More information Year, Film ...
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
1990 Graveyard Shift United States Independence Day
1990 Maniac Cop 2 United States Christmas 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 Christmas Direct-to-video
1990 Hardware United Kingdom Christmas
1991 The Boneyard United States Thanksgiving Direct-to-video [29]
1991 Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker United States Christmas Direct-to-video
1991 Omen IV: The Awakening United States/Canada Christmas Television film
1991 Campfire Tales United States Christmas Anthology film
1992 Stepfather III United States Easter, Father's Day Television film [30]
1992 Cronos Mexico Christmas
1993 Amityville: A New Generation United States Thanksgiving Direct-to-video [31]
1993 The Nightmare Before Christmas United States Halloween, Christmas
1994 Night of the Demons 2 United States Halloween
1994 Leprechaun 2 United States Saint Patrick's Day
1995 The Granny United States Thanksgiving Direct-to-video [32]
1995 The Day of the Beast Spain/Italy Christmas [33][34]
1995 Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers United States Halloween
1995 Jack-O United States Halloween
1996 Uncle Sam United States Independence Day Direct-to-video
1996 Santa Claws United States Christmas
1996 Little Witches United States Easter
1997 Intensity United States Thanksgiving Television film [35]
1997 Night of the Demons 3 United States Halloween
1997 I Know What You Did Last Summer United States Independence Day
1998 Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County United States Thanksgiving Television film [36]
1998 Halloween H20: 20 Years Later United States Halloween
1998 The Minion United States/ Canada Christmas
1999 Zombie! vs. Mardi Gras United States Mardi Gras Direct-to-video
1999 Lovers Lane United States Valentine Direct-to-video [37]
1999 End of Days United States New Year's Eve/New Year
1999 Resurrection United States Easter
1999 Witchouse United States Walpurgis Night / May Day Direct-to-video [38]
1999 Memorial Day United States Memorial Day Direct-to-video
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2000s

More information Year, Film ...
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
2000 Bless the Child United States Easter
2000 Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman United States Christmas Direct-to-video
2000 Ginger Snaps Canada Halloween
2001 The Christmas Season Massacre United States Christmas Direct-to-video
2002 Halloween: Resurrection United States Halloween
2002 The Mothman Prophecies United States Christmas
2003 Dead End United States Christmas
2003 House of 1000 corpses United States Halloween
2003 Midsommer Denmark Midsummer
2003 Shredder United States Christmas Direct-to-video
2003 Zero Day United States Walpurgis Night / May Day
2004 Hellbent United States Halloween
2004 Satan's Little Helper United States Halloween
2005 All Souls Day United States Dia de Muertos
2005 Boogeyman Germany/United States/New Zealand Thanksgiving [39][40]
2005 The Gingerdead Man United States Christmas
2005 Santa's Slay United States Christmas
2006 The Wicker Man United States Walpurgis Night / May Day [10]
2006 Easter Bunny, Kill! Kill! United States Easter [10]
2006 Halloween Night United States Halloween Direct-to-video
2006 Black Christmas United States Christmas Remake of the 1974 film [41]
2006 Séance United States Thanksgiving [42]
2007 El Muerto United States Dia de Muertos
2007 April Fools United States April Fools Direct-to-video [43]
2007 Solstice United States Midsummer Remake of Midsommer [44][45]
2007 Grindhouse United States Thanksgiving Anthology film, one of the fake movie trailers shown is for the film Thanksgiving, a slash horror film taking place on the Thanksgiving holiday

[46][47]

2007 Halloween United States Halloween Remake of the 1978 film
2007 Wind Chill United States Christmas
2007 La leyenda de la Nahuala Mexico Dia de Muertos
2007 Trick 'r Treat United States Halloween [48]
2007 Inside France Christmas
2008 April Fool's Day United States April Fools Remake of the 1986 film
2008 Gingerdead Man 2: Passion of the Crust United States Christmas
2008 Treevenge Canada Christmas Short film [49][50][51][52][53]
2008 Pontypool Canada Valentine [54]
2008 The Children United Kingdom Christmas, New Year's Eve/New Year [55][56][57]
2008 ThanksKilling United States Thanksgiving
2009 My Bloody Valentine United States Valentine Remake of the 1981 film [58]
2009 Dead Snow Norway Easter [59][60]
2009 Earth Day United States Earth Day
2009 Halloween II United States Halloween Sequel to the 2007 remake
2009 Deadly Little Christmas United States Christmas Direct-to-video
2009 Silent Night, Zombie Night United States Christmas
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2010s

More information Year, Film ...
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
2010 Atrocious Spain Easter
2010 Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale Finland Christmas
2010 Easter Bunny Bloodbath Canada Easter
2010 Sint The Netherlands Christmas
2011 Father's Day United States Father's Day
2011 The Wicker Tree United Kingdom Walpurgis Night / May Day [10]
2011 The Melancholy Fantastic United States Christmas Re-released in 2016 as Doll in the Dark
2011 Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver United States Christmas Direct-to-video
2011 Livid France Halloween [61][62][63]
2012 Red Clover United States Saint Patrick's Day Made for television
2012 Silent Night United States Christmas Loose remake of Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
2012 Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines United States Halloween Direct-to-video
2013 Cinco de Mayo United States Cinco de Mayo
2013 All Hallows' Eve United States Halloween Direct-to-video anthology film
2013 Christmas Cruelty! Norway Christmas [64]
2013 Antisocial Canada New Year's Eve/New Year
2013 Gingerdead Man vs. Evil Bong United States Christmas
2013 Silent Night, Bloody Night: The Homecoming United Kingdom Christmas Remake of the 1972 American film Silent Night, Bloody Night [65]
2014 Among the Living France Halloween
2014 México Bárbaro Mexico Dia de Muertos Anthology film
2014 Beaster Day: Here Comes Peter Cottonhell United States Easter [66]
2014 Kristy United States Thanksgiving [67]
2015 Night of the Living Deb United States Independence Day [68][69]
2015 Knock Knock United States Father's Day
2015 All Hallows' Eve 2 United States Halloween Direct-to-video anthology film
2015 Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension United States Christmas
2015 All Through the House United States Christmas
2015 Noc Walpurgi Poland Walpurgis Night / May Day
2015 A Christmas Horror Story United States Christmas Anthology film
2015 Krampus United States Christmas
2015 Krampus: The Reckoning United States Christmas Direct-to-video [70]
2015 Red Christmas Australia Christmas
2015 Tales of Halloween United States Halloween Anthology film
2015 Muck United States Saint Patrick's Day
2015 Rage: Midsummer's Eve Finland Midsummer
2016 Bloody Bobby United States Halloween
2016 Arbor Demon United States Arbor Day
2016 Presidents Day United States Presidents Day
2016 Krampus Unleashed United States Christmas Direct-to-video [71]
2016 Holidays United States Valentine, Saint Patrick's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Halloween, Christmas, New Year's Eve/New Year Anthology film
2016 Better Watch Out Australia/United States Christmas
2016 31 United States Halloween
2016 Terrifier United States Halloween
2016 The Purge: Election Year United States Election Day
2017 Groundhog United States Candlemas / Groundhog Day
2017 The Recall Canada Labor Day [72]
2017 It United States Independence Day [17]
2017 Anna and the Apocalypse United Kingdom/United States Christmas
2017 Truth or Dare United States Halloween
2017 10/31 United States Halloween Anthology film
2017 Mercy Christmas United States Christmas
2017 Mother Krampus United States Christmas [73]
2017 Once Upon a Time at Christmas United Kingdom Christmas
2018 Rottentail United States Easter [74]
2018 Halloween United States Halloween
2018 Mother Krampus 2 United States Christmas
2018 Await Further Instructions United Kingdom Christmas
2018 Santa Jaws United States Christmas [75]
2018 Secret Santa Canada Christmas [76]
2019 Escape Room United States Thanksgiving [77][78]
2019 Midsommar United States Midsummer
2019 Fractured United States Thanksgiving [79][80]
2019 Black Christmas United States Christmas Remake of the 1974 film [81]
2019 Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark United States/Canada Halloween [82]
2019 Trick United States Halloween [83][84][85]
2019 Deathcember Germany Christmas Anthology film [86][87]
2019 Holiday Hell United States Valentine, Christmas, Hanukkah Anthology film [88][89]
2019 Hanukkah United States Hanukkah [90]
2019 Ring Ring United States Halloween [91]
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2020s

More information Year, Film ...
Year Film Country Holiday(s) Notes Ref.
2020 Black Pumpkin United States Halloween [92]
2020 Hubie Halloween United States Halloween [93]
2020 A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting United States Halloween [94]
2020 Blood Pi United States Halloween [95]
2020 The Last Thanksgiving United States Thanksgiving
2020 Toys of Terror United States Christmas
2020 Happy Horror Days United States Valentine, Saint Patrick's Day, Easter, Independence Day, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year's Eve/New Year's Anthology film
2020 It Cuts Deep United States Christmas [96]
2021 Red Snow United States Christmas
2021 St. Patrick's Day United States Saint Patrick's Day
2021 Spiral United States Independence Day
2021 Halloween Kills United States Halloween
2022 Nian United States Chinese New Year Short film
2022 The Blackening United States Juneteenth [97]
2022 Terrifier 2 United States Halloween
2022 Halloween Ends United States Halloween
2022 The Mean One United States Christmas
2022 The Leech United States Christmas
2023 Scream VI United States Halloween
2023 Dark Harvest United States Halloween [98][99][100]
2023 Thanksgiving United States Thanksgiving
2023 It's a Wonderful Knife United States Christmas
2023 All Hallows' Eve: Trickster United States Halloween
2024 Easter Evil United States Easter
2024 Easter Bloody Easter United States Easter [101]
2024 Haunt Season United States Halloween [102]
2024 Terrifier 3 United States Christmas
2024 A Very Flattened Christmas United States Christmas [103]
2024 Carnage For Christmas Australia Christmas Notable for being edited by Vera Drew
2025 Heart Eyes United States Valentine's Day
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See also

References

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Works cited

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