10 Best Holiday Horror Movies Like Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving

While Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving honors holiday-themed slashers with an equal amount of blood and laughs, it’s one of the most recent entries in a long list of slasher movies that either occur on or are about a holiday. Thanksgiving centers around John Carver, a mysterious serial killer who goes on a killing spree in Plymouth, Massachusetts, the town where Thanksgiving originated, after a Black Friday riot ends tragically. Thanksgiving has several classic horror movies Easter eggs while also being distinct enough in its execution of many horror movie tropes to be a notable addition to the genre.

As a sub-genre of the horror genre, holiday slasher movies often center around holiday-themed mythology from different parts of the world, and their commitment to the genre or their premises makes them some of the best slasher movies of all time. Although Thanksgiving won’t reinvent the wheel regarding holiday slasher movies, Roth’s cheeky humor and marked grindhouse sensibilities are what make Thanksgiving required viewing for longtime pundits of the genre. Despite the movie’s stylistic flair and violence combined with its witty humor, there are plenty of classic holiday horror movies to watch, like Thanksgiving.

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10 Black Christmas (2019)

A group of college students find themselves stalked by a killer on their school’s campus.

Black Christmas is the latest addition to the Black Christmas series after the 1974 original and the 2006 remake, and it sees a group of female college students uncovering a campus conspiracy while combating a murdering stalker. Similar to the previous two movies, Black Christmas is notable for its strong feminist themes and gusto, while also containing horrific scenes of violence and death. However, Black Christmas‘s sniping commentary about patriarchal institutions that disadvantage many women are explored while deconstructing many horror movie tropes, which helps give the 2019 remake a unique identity among the genre.

9 Jack Frost (1997)

A genetically mutated snowman goes on a killing spree shortly before Christmas.

The direct-to-video black comedy slasher movie, Jack Frost, centers around a fictional serial killer named Jack Frost who evades execution in December after a genetic experiment causes his body to fuse with the surrounding snow. Although one of the most absurd horror movies, Jack Frost‘s unflinching commitment to it via deliberately cheesy one-liners and underrated onscreen kills demonstrate that the movie has more substance than its premise would suggest. As such, Jack Frost has developed a cult following and even a 2000 sequel titled, Jack Frost 2: The Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman.

8 Leprechaun (1993)

The Leprechaun franchise centers around St. Patrick’s Day mythology.

Leprechaun is a tongue-in-cheek comedy horror movie that sees its titular killer embark on a vicious killing spree in search of his beloved pot of gold, while also seeing Jennifer Aniston in her feature-length debut. Leprechaun’s lack of convincing kills or self-aware humor that the holiday horror genre usually benefits from is noticeably absent in the movie, but its impressive make-up and costuming are worthy of recognition. Although critically panned, Leprechaun‘s success at the box-office ensured its franchise potential, which led to five additional movies continuing the killer leprechaun’s legacy.

7 Terror Train (1980)

College students are murdered one-by-one while aboard a train during New Year’s Eve.

Terror Train sees six college students who, after participating in a prank that went terribly wrong, find themselves targeted by a masked serial killer while aboard a moving train during Christmas Eve. Starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Terror Train isn’t the most famous entry in the genre, but its unique setting aboard a train and claustrophobic cinematography give it an atmosphere that most other horror movies lack. Unfortunately, the rest of Terror Train falls prey to many of the predictable clichés and pacing that often bog horror movies down, which ultimately makes it feel like wasted potential.

6 Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)

Silent Night, Deadly Night subverts the Santa Claus mythos by making him a violent serial killer.

Silent Night, Deadly Night subverts the Santa Claus mythos by seeing him kill people who’ve been naughty while sparing those he deems to be good. The movie’s protagonist, Billy Chapman, witnessed his parent’s murder when he was a child, and after having a less-than-stellar upbringing in an orphanage, eventually adopts a similar modus operandi. Silent Night, Deadly Night‘s script and characters are forgettable, but the creative ways Billy kills his victims while also referencing Santa Claus’s mythology is perhaps the greatest example of a holiday horror movie not taking itself too seriously.

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5 My Bloody Valentine (1981)

A murderer targets couples celebrating Valentine’s Day.

My Bloody Valentine sees a popular urban legend surrounding a vengeful killer dressed as a coal miner gruesomely murdering couples on Valentine’s Day. Although criticized for its depictions of violence, My Bloody Valentine‘s status as a cult classic eventually led to a 2009 remake titled, My Bloody Valentine 3D. Chiefly among My Bloody Valentine‘s legacy is its history of censorship that saw many of the violent kills either altered or outright cut from the movie. The strong censorship would lead to the movie’s growing reputation among younger audiences, which effectively compelled people to seek the movie out more.

4 Krampus (2015)

Krampus centers around a boy who summons the demon Krampus during Christmas.

Krampus involves a young boy named Max whose lack of Christmas spirit causes him to accidentally summon the demon Krampus during the beloved holiday. Rife with gore and a self-reflexive sense of humor, Krampus‘s biggest strength lies in its ability to weave in a heart-felt story about family, and the negative impact it can have on a child when it isn’t functional. Combined with a strong cast, impressive practical and special effects, and a unique take on the European folklore, Krampus‘s more serious approach to the holiday horror genre remains one of the most notable.

3 Trick ‘r Treat (2007)

Trick ‘r Treat is a Halloween anthology series that centers around five gory stories.

Trick ‘r Treat is a Halloween anthology movie that sees five interwoven stories that each contain cautionary tales about the coveted holiday, family, friends, etc. Although not scary in the same sense as many other horror movies in the genre, Trick ‘r Treat‘s unique narrative approach to the holiday genre makes the movie feel like a comic book more than anything else. Rife with gruesomely satisfying kills and perfect homages to other movies like Halloween, Trick ‘r Treat is more thought-provoking than many other holiday horror movies in the genre.

2 Midsommar (2019)

Midsommar tells a story of grief and regret while seeing its protagonists killed off during the Swedish holiday.

Midsommar centers around a young woman named Dani who embarks on a trip to Sweden with her abusive boyfriend and their friends after everyone in her family dies on the same night. Midsommar‘s beautiful cinematography, strong cast, and distinct setting all help it shine as one of the best horror movies based on a holiday. While midsummer might not be as well known to most as Halloween, Midsommar does an excellent job highlighting its significance to the plot via imagery that’s lifted from the mythology, and kills that serve as sacrifices to the Swedish gods.

1 Halloween (1978)

The iconic Michael Myers goes on a killing spree during Halloween.

John Carpenter’s Halloween is arguably the most recognizable holiday horror movie around due to its iconic Michael Myers serial killer. Featuring a breakout performance by Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, Halloween is perhaps the best example of how a movie can blend the tropes and clichés of a horror movie with the overall atmosphere and feel of a beloved holiday. With a deathly creepy score, iconic imagery that still scares audiences forty-plus years later, and scores of horror movies paying homage to Halloween, it is arguably the best example of a holiday horror movie that Thanksgiving is most like.