Halloween Meets Christmas: 4 Most Chilling Movies about Santa Killers 

Once upon a time, Santa Claus was terrible – he personified winter, hunger, cannibalism, and demanded human sacrifices. Then he was replaced by a good-natured Santa / St. Nicholas, who delivered gifts and, more importantly, hoped for another year without mass death and cannibalism (yay).

So it's not surprising that modern people are attracted to the image of the killer Santa from horror movies. Here are four movies that take Santa back to his not-so-friendly roots.

1. Silent Night, Deadly Night

The viewers liked this movie so much that four more sequels were released.

The main character, a boy named Billy, witnesses the death of his parents. They are killed by a madman dressed as Santa Claus. The boy somehow survives seclusion in a Catholic orphanage with sadistic nuns, and as he comes of age, tries to lead a normal life. But he cannot be "normal" in a world where everyone celebrates Christmas and worships Santa Claus.

2. Santa’s Slay

Santa’s Slay is full of dark humor and satire, it is bloody, cynical and at the same time really funny. In the story, Santa is no Saint Nicholas. In fact, he is a demon and the son of Satan who lost a game of curling (yes, curling) to one of the angels a thousand years ago. This lost bet meant that he was forced to do good and deliver gifts.

But the thousand-year imprisonment is over, and Santa turns into what he really is – a bloody maniac who commits mass murders at Christmas.

3. Rare Exports

First of all, this is not exactly a horror movie, but a black comedy with slasher elements. Second, it is a Finnish film that uses folk motifs.

The plot of the movie is quite unusual. A mining company blows up the mountain where Santa Claus lives. It turns out that he is not there out of his own free will – he is trapped there like a demon, and blasting the mountain is about to awaken him. At least his elf helpers have already come out of hibernation and are wandering around the area.

4. Silent Night

Silent Night is considered the unofficial sixth sequel to Silent Night, Deadly Night. The movie is catchy and genuinely exciting, and Malcolm McDowell stars in the titular role as the police chief pursuing Santa Claus.

The movie tries to be more than just a Christmas trash movie. It is worth seeing just for the pyromaniac Santa with a flamethrower.