10 of the Darkest Christmas Movies Ever Made

Christmas. Normally when we hear that word we think of a bright, colorful, and festive season of giving and togetherness. While most of that sentiment can be found in your typical Hallmark or Lifetime special, people often forget that Christmas definitely has a dark side.

It’s not all mistletoe and holly for some lovers of the Yuletide season. Sometimes Christmas can be as cold as a dark December chill. And what better way to feel this effect with some films that capture the shadows of the season? For every Frosty the Snowman, there’s an Ebeneezer Scrooge, so let’s take a look at some movies that show off the shades of the season.

10 It’s a Wonderful Life

What better way to start a list of dark Christmas films than with this all-time holiday classic? Though it is true that this film has the warm and fuzzy, touchy-feely ending most movies of its breed do, let’s not forget that the main plot of the film begins with George Bailey on the edge of a bridge contemplating suicide.

Though George does all the things he does for the right reasons, let’s not forget that he sacrifices major opportunities in his life so that others might prosper. That and we get to see a cold and cruel world without him. Not exactly that wonderful, huh?

9 Joyeux Nöel

If you were to compile a list of mandatory Christmas movies, Joyeux Nöel would definitely be in the top tier. The film tells the touching true story of the Christmas Truce of 1914. Although the film shows German, French, and Scottish soldiers coming together for Christmas in the trenches of WWI, it’s still a war movie.

People die in combat, we’re exposed to some of the cold realities these men faced during one of the most brutal times in human history. It’s a film that shows the power the season can have in the darkest of times, but it still doesn’t downplay the tragedies of war.

8 The Ref

Not all of the movies on our list are dramas, The Ref is perhaps one of the most entertaining black comedies we’ve ever seen. It certainly has some of the all-time best insults we’ve ever heard from any movie period.

When a thief breaks into the home of a bickering rich couple while running from the cops, he’s forced to play marriage counselor to keep his cover, especially when their dysfunctional family comes for Christmas dinner. The family members are all horrible people, even the well-to-do grandmother is insufferable. It’s definitely dark when we start rooting for the bad guy in this flick.

7 Edward Scissorhands

One of the most beautiful films on our list absolutely has to be Tim Burton’s masterpiece, Edward Scissorhands. Though not a Christmas movie in the traditional sense, we do get a generous portion of the film set against a twinkling holiday backdrop in the pastel world of suburbia.

Not only that but how could anyone forget the iconic “Ice Dance” scene or the famous theme by Danny Elfman? Every good Christmas needs a little snow, right? Easily one of the best films by the eccentric director, and certainly not the only one featured on this list.

6 Batman Returns

On the subject of non-traditional Christmas films, let’s take a trip to Gotham City and spread a little Christmas “cheer” with the Caped Crusader. With its snow-flecked cityscape and festive backdrop, it’s the perfect time of year to spread a little holiday mayhem with the Penguin and Catwoman.

Think about it, one of the film’s biggest scenes happens during a Christmas tree lighting and many of the film’s iconic visuals happen as snow is beginning to fall. A Christmas with the Dark Knight might not be so merry and bright, but it’s one we’ll gladly watch.

5 The Nightmare Before Christmas

We can’t talk about dark Christmas movies without recognizing perhaps the most famous one of all, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Though a portion of its fanbase considers the film a Halloween tradition, we find it just as delightful and ghoulish around the holidays too.

When two conflicting holidays collide in the bony hands of Jack Skellington, Yuletide cheer becomes holiday fear as the Pumpkin King of Halloween takes over for Santa Claus. What results is a twisted Christmas that no one should miss out on watching. If you’re looking for something less holly jolly, this film is a good introductory course.

4 Gremlins

It’s slowly starting to become more of a holiday tradition nowadays, but many people still forget that Gremlins is, in fact, a Christmas film. True, not many holiday specials have demented little monsters wrecking an entire town, but we have a special place in our heart for this one. It just might be Gizmo shaped…

As far as dark or alternative Christmas movies go, this one is a jewel in the crown. Seeing the Gremlin carolers totally wreck old Mrs. Deagle definitely gets us in the holiday spirit every year. Put this one on if you don’t mind a little mischief in your merrymaking.

3 Scrooged

Though we could put quite a few interpretations of Dickens’s classic, A Christmas Carol, on our list, it’s Bill Murray’s Scrooged. Come on, how many versions of the story have the Scrooge character getting totally decked by one of the three ghosts? It’s definitely funny, but it’s also perhaps one of the darker versions out there.

Yes, it’s a comedy, but it’s still insanely dark. The ghosts aren’t the only things that haunt Frank Cross on this twisted Christmas eve, as we also see the repercussions of his greedy, power-hungry actions. Get into a different kind of spirit with this adaptation of an old favorite.

2 Krampus

From the director of Trick ‘r’ Treat comes this festive fright fest, Krampus. If you were to take Gremlins and The Nightmare Before Christmas and brutally mash them together, you’d get a holiday horror show where members of a bickering family are picked off one by one by Krampus and his freaky friends.

Evil elves, sinister snowmen, and terrifying toys are just a few of the creatures the Engles family goes toe-to-toe with one Christmas when one of the children has his Holiday spirit wrecked by family dysfunction. And when the big guy himself comes, it’s definitely a very scary Christmas.

1 Rare Exports

If Michale Dougherty’s Krampus didn’t satisfy you, then Rare Exports definitely will. This is easily the strangest and darkest take on the Santa/Krampus mythos we’ve ever seen, making it a perfect fit for our list. If the Finnish language doesn’t bother you, you’re in for something… interesting.

When a large tomb is discovered by a research team in Lapland, the investigators and locals discover the tomb of “Santa Claus” and soon discover he’s not as jolly as they’d like to believe. Twisted barely scratches the surface of the horrifying truth the cast discovers upon finding the truth about Santa.

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