As the year winds down, the last gasp of potential drifting off into the ever encroaching night, moments of seasonal reflection inevitably creep in. For some, twinkling holiday lights and cozy crackling fireplaces provide comfort, and dare I say, joy. And for others, the familiar holiday rituals welcome old familiar friends like grief, gratitude, loneliness, and heartbreak to pull up a chair at the emotional table. In short, the holidays can be complicated. Thankfully, though, there is a whole host of horror films that take this truth and run with it.
Heartwarming holiday horror lives in the space where the season’s expectations butt up against its bittersweet, and sometimes heartrending realities. Uniquely suited to exploring this territory, this particular strain of holiday horror finds power in contradiction, folding warmth into unease and letting grief, nostalgia, and small acts of kindness sit beside the scares. That blend of terror and tenderness is precisely what squeezes the heart and creates that lump in your throat, despite the typically excessive amount of fake blood on screen.
Dark Sanctum, the new scripted horror anthology podcast on the DREAD Podcast Network, also threads its scares with genuine emotion, and that goes double in the latest holiday episode titled “Extraordinary Experience.” Inspired by shows like The Twilight Zone and Tales from the Crypt, creator Mark Ramsey understands the particular magic that holiday horror can tap into, making one flinch, then ache.
Whether it is a ghostly family secret or a Santa afflicted by seasonal sadness, these stories use the holiday spirit to amplify raw, longing nostalgia and the hope that next year things can be different. Consider this your seasonal watchlist of horror with a heart, ready to keep you company and perfect to be enjoyed after binging the latest Dark Sanctum drop.
Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
This Christmas-set zombie musical follows Anna (Ella Hunt), a high schooler ready to break free from her small town, family tension, and final exams, when an outbreak of undead zombies threatens to ruin everything. Together with her scrappy band of friends, Anna fights through malls, bowling alleys, and cafeterias in search of safety and answers. It’s funny, bloody, and pretty damn catchy, leaning into some truly showstopping numbers even as limbs and lives are lost.
What makes the film fit so neatly into the bittersweet holiday horror fold is how sincerely it balances charm and Christmas carnage. I mean, Anna kills zombies with a spikey candy cane for Pete’s sake. But through the many musical numbers, we get to know each character on a much deeper level, making the inevitable losses land harder. At its heart, Anna and the Apocalypse is about growing up and facing endings, longing, regret, and the stubborn impulse to care for those we love. It’s a movie that will make you laugh, make you sing (probably), and then sneakily sucker punch you with its ability to be brutal without sacrificing an ounce of its heart.
Christmas Evil (1980)
Ok, so this pick might not immediately conjure up heartwarming thoughts, but hear me out. Christmas Evil tells the tragic tale of Harry Stadling, a lonely toy factory worker who has been obsessed with Santa since experiencing a traumatic childhood Santa event. As the holidays approach, he catalogues who is naughty and who is nice while his personal life frays. When his fixation collides with capitalism and the lies told by those around him, Harry snaps, dons his Santa garb and begins doling out a violent sort of yuletide vigilante justice.
Ultimately, what makes Harry’s Christmas rampage fit the bittersweet holiday horror mold is how it mixes black comedy and sincerity in a way that feels oddly heartwarming. The movie mocks the phony holiday glitz and glamour, yet it also dedicates time to Harry’s ache for meaning and connection. There are moments where his devotion to Santa reads as pure, stubborn longing, and that sincerity makes his unraveling feel genuinely tragic. Leaning into the dark humor allows the film to poke fun at the season while still honoring the loneliness the season so often exposes, which is why this strange little movie lands as both funny and heartwarming, sentimental and sad all at once.
Krampus (2015)
Michael Dougherty’s Christmas follow-up to Trick ‘r Treat opens like a familiar holiday family comedy with all the petty resentments and awkwardness one could ask for. The movie takes those moments seriously, letting small gestures and attempts at connection build before blowing your mind with incredible creature set pieces. As young Max’s (Emjay Anthony) sincerity and inner conflict surrounding the Christmas spirit eventually soften the cynicism of his family (played by Toni Collette, Adam Scott, David Koechner, Allison Tolman, and Conchata Ferrell, mind you), it brings a horde of nightmarish elves, demon toys, and cursed cookies to their doorstep first.
The ending is where the emotional work Krampus puts in pays off and then complicates itself. At first blush, the final Christmas morning can feel true, almost tender. Sure, the family bickers, but they still love one another and are reunited. Then the reveal of the scene as one of many snow globes in Krampus’ lair sits with you, turning warmth into a bleak pit of despair. That last image can be read as a cruel joke, a reminder that joy can be fleeting, or as a bittersweet trade that acknowledges that togetherness might have come with a hefty price tag. Either way, the film is heartwarming and haunting at once, and a hell of a lot of fun along the way.
Let the Right One In (2008)
Tomas Alfredson’s Swedish adaptation of John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel Let the Right One In is set in a stark, snow-covered Swedish suburb during a long winter. The story centers around Oskar, a lonely 12-year-old who is often bullied at school, and Eli, an odd child who moves in next door. Initially bonding over a Rubik’s Cube, the pair’s friendship grows into a fierce, protective bond as Oskar learns that Eli is not what they seem. Deft and beautiful, the movie patiently flows between moments of kid cruelty, small family moments, and sudden violence, all underscored by the stillness of the snow and empty streets.
Though not explicitly a holiday movie, Let the Right One In resonates on the same bittersweet holiday horror frequency by pairing its tenderness with blunt brutality, using the winter setting to amplify both. The stillness of the season makes ordinary moments crystallize and feel precious, with Oskar and Eli’s connection reading as pure and heartwarming in its loyalty and mutual need. And yet, that warmth comes with a cost, as danger drips off every decision. It is a story about growing up, about the yearning for someone who sees you, and about how love can be both a gift and a curse.
Deadly Games aka Dial Code Santa Claus (1989)
Before Kevin McCallister outsmarted the Wet Bandits, there was Thomas in René Manzor’s Dial Code Santa Claus. Thomas, a smart, Rambo-obsessed kid, is left alone on Christmas Eve with his grandfather and their dog when his mom, a literal boss, has to go into work. While attempting to contact Santa, Thomas accidentally reaches a disturbed individual who senses an opportunity, poses as Santa and breaks into Thomas’ house. Soon, things spiral into a game of cat-and-mouse, complete with booby traps and very real danger galore.
Despite being more violent and a bit darker than its Home Alone doppelganger, Dial Code Santa Claus similarly pulls at the holiday heartstrings by centering a kid’s sense of wonder and earnest love of family. Thomas is a resourceful nugget whose traps and mullet-fueled antics are as charming as they are creative, so even the movie’s more violent moments land with a weird emotional pull rather than just pure shock factor. Though incredibly fun and entertaining, it is Thomas’s connection to his family, his bravery in the face of real danger, and the lengths those who love him are willing to go that elevate this slasher-fueled Rambo riff into a surprisingly warm story about loneliness, protection, grief, and the things that truly matter when all the glitter and gift wrap fades away.
Honorable Mentions:
- Rare Exports (2010)
- I Trapped the Devil (2019)
- Gremlins (of course, 1984)
- The Conjuring 2 (2016)
- Silent Night (2021)
Dark Sanctum, the premier horror anthology audio series, is now available on the DREAD Podcast Network, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday. Subscribe to Dark Sanctum on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen and follow @dreadcentral on social media for future pod updates.
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