horror movies

Winnie’s Weekly Wonders: Top 10 Christmas Holiday Horror Movies

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The holiday season is upon us, and while most people turn to cheerful classics like Home Alone or Elf, some of us prefer our Christmas cheer with a side of blood. So, here’s a list of some of the best holiday horror movies to watch again.

1. Black Christmas (1974)

Widely regarded as one of the first slasher films, Black Christmas tells the story of a group of sorority sisters terrorized by a mysterious killer during the holidays. Its eerie atmosphere and unsettling phone calls make it a must-watch for horror fans.

2. Gremlins (1984)

This dark comedy horror classic is the perfect mix of cute and creepy. When mischievous creatures wreak havoc on a small town during Christmas, it’s a chaotic reminder to always follow the rules—especially when it comes to holiday pets!

3. Krampus (2015)

A modern holiday horror gem, Krampus is about the ancient Christmas demon who punishes those who lose their festive spirit. The film’s mix of humor, folklore, and frights makes it an instant classic for horror lovers.

4. Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)

In this cult slasher, a young man traumatized by his childhood experiences with Santa takes up the red suit—and an axe. It’s a gory, over-the-top ride that has become a staple of Christmas horror.

5. Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)

This Finnish gem reimagines Santa Claus as a dark and terrifying figure unearthed by archeologists. Combining folklore and chills, this movie offers a fresh perspective on holiday horror.

6. Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)

Who says Christmas horror can’t have a little music? This unique blend of horror, comedy, and musical follows Anna and her friends as they fight to survive a zombie apocalypse—set during the holidays. It’s festive, funny, and gory in all the right ways.

7. The Lodge (2019)

The Lodge is a slow-burning psychological horror that takes place during a snowed-in Christmas retreat. With its unsettling atmosphere and shocking twists, it’s a tense addition to your holiday watchlist.

8. P2 (2007)

For those who want a more grounded holiday horror, P2 follows a woman trapped in a parking garage on Christmas Eve, stalked by a deranged security guard. It’s a tense, claustrophobic thriller perfect for those who dread holiday office parties.

9. A Christmas Horror Story (2015)

This anthology film delivers multiple holiday horror tales, including a showdown between Santa Claus and Krampus. It’s a fun, campy option for those who enjoy a variety of scares in one sitting.

10. Dead End (2003)

This underrated gem follows a family on a road trip gone wrong during Christmas Eve. With eerie twists and an unsettling atmosphere, it’s a haunting reminder that sometimes, getting home for the holidays can be the scariest journey of all.

Bonus: Honorable Mention

  • Jack Frost (1997): A campy cult favorite about a killer snowman. It’s so bad it’s good and perfect for a laugh-filled horror night.

These films are perfect for curling up on a chilly winter evening, hot cocoa in hand, with the Christmas lights casting just enough shadow to keep you on edge. Whether you’re a fan of slashers, supernatural scares, or dark comedy, this list has something to make your holiday season delightfully frightful.

Which holiday horror movies are your favorites? Let me know in the comments—I’m always on the lookout for more spooky cheer, so I’ll be in touch with any new holiday horror I find and watch whether they’re good or send me to check my email.

Why Image Generators Need Much Work

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I’m not feeling threatened by AI image generators this week because I totally stumped Adobe Firefly with this strange ask below:

demon; eating tacos; in taco bell in a booth; horns on head; evil look; masculine; wearing a red t shirt

I also added ‘bulls head’ to the ask because I couldn’t get a demon look without adding an animal to the mix. Every search resulted in a human look including women with the masculine ask. Before I added ‘wearing a red t-shirt’ they were all wearing suits.

The image to the right is pretty similar to most of the results with different art styles as I changed the query. So AI thinks humans are demons, which of course is correct.

If you wanna see more of the results, check out my @meanwinniejean Instagram account.

I watched The Pope’s Exorcist this week. Was kinda in a mood for demons after trying to get the image generator to create demons eating tacos. The movie starts with this, which I loved. Fun going in knowing that the story is based on a real priest, but the movie was way beyond reality.

“When we jeer at the Devil and tell ourselves that he does not exist, that is when he is happiest.”

Father Gabriele Amorth
Chief Exorcist of the Vatican 1986-2016

Obviously a high-budget horror flick, so I appreciated the dark, dreary settings and quality acting. While a priest who performs exorcists is thrown out of his position, a family moves into an old, broken down abbey. Nice set up! But the Pope has to pull Russel Crowe back into the mix when a demon possesses a kid in the family. I loved the plot or demon’s intention in the storyline, which I won’t spoil.

Russel Crowe and the possessed kid were good, with all the other characters way too minor in the story. I appreciated that they jumped into the action right away. I wasn’t bored at any point while I watched, so no checking my email while watching. But the cringe and squirm in your seat wasn’t there for this horror freak. The movie is worth watching, especially if you prefer light horror.

That sums up my week. Did you watch any new horror films, good or bad?

The Zombie Stage & Artsy Horror Movie

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This week’s horror collage, although it’s more of a stage scene. I’ve moved to Photoshop, so this is less choppy. I find this corny, but it was a great practice. As an afterthought, I probably should have painted in some mist. My favorite part is the hand at the bottom right. I also like the combination of hues with the teal and orange.

What shall I do next. Unfortunately, I’m not really feeling much Halloween inspiration this year. Not sure why, considering it’s my favorite holiday.

For my Halloween movie/show viewing pleasure this week I watched a really cool movie and Jack Osborne’s Night of Terror. Reminder I’m only watching stuff I’ve never seen. We’re All Going to the State Fair was more of an art/horror piece. Everyone will come away from it with their own interpretation. At first I expected more paranormal activity, but I came away terrified about how people take advantage of each other via the internet. But I’m also more afraid of the living than the dead. Night of Terror was another fun ghost hunting show. I love Portals to Hell, so I loved Jack Osborne’s new show.

All I got for ya. Have a GREAT week!

Halloween Collage & Horror Movie Fest

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Happy start of Halloween! I’ll be doing a bunch of Halloween inspired collages and this is the first one for the month. I’ve moved to Photoshop as I had mentioned to try to make them look better. I really need the practice anyway.

Every year I go on a horror movie marathon, usually watching a number of movies I’ve seen before. This year I’ve decided to only watch movies I haven’t seen. This week I watched 4 movies, so I need to step up my game since I wanted to watch at least 1 a day.

The Hunt, Us, and The People Under the Stairs were my favorites. Can’t believe I haven’t seen these. Then again, I tend to ignore the big Hollywood horror productions, preferring indie horror, especially when it comes to zombie movies.

Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey sucked! The whole movie was a slow motion torture fest in a bad way. I remember seeing critiques around turning Winnie the Pooh into a horror characters, so that was the draw. They really need to stop at one of these because it was soooo boring.

Have a great week!