In a small town during Christmas, a girl finds a beautiful snow globe in an antique store. When she takes it home and shakes it, instead of the normal snowfall inside, she sees a figure emerging from the white flakes. Every night after that, the figure gets closer to the surface of the globe, and strange things start to happen around the girl's house. The cold air seeps out of the globe, and the Christmas lights start to flicker ominously. Eventually, the figure breaks free on Christmas Eve.
One common theme is the perversion of the joyous Christmas elements. For example, a Christmas tree that turns into a source of horror instead of a symbol of celebration. Another theme is isolation. Often, the stories are set in remote places like an old cabin or a lonely mansion during Christmas, which adds to the sense of unease. The idea of a malevolent presence hidden within the festive trappings is also common. Like a haunted ornament or a cursed Christmas gift.
Isolation can be a theme too. Picture a family stuck in a snow - bound cabin during Christmas and then strange, scary things start to happen. It plays on the idea that Christmas is a time when people are supposed to be together, but instead they are alone and in danger. It heightens the horror as the usual safety net of family and community is absent.
Well, in many Christmas short horror stories, there's the presence of something that seems innocent at first but then turns out to be evil. This could be a cute looking Christmas elf doll that comes to life and starts causing havoc. Another common element is the idea of a Christmas miracle gone wrong. Instead of a positive event, it brings something terrifying. And haunted places related to Christmas, like an old church where a Christmas mass ended in tragedy long ago, are also often seen in these stories.
It was Christmas, and a group of friends decided to have a party in an old, secluded cabin in the woods. They were having a great time until they found a strange box in the attic. Ignoring the warnings not to open it, they pried it open. Inside was a tattered Christmas card with a sinister message written in blood. Immediately, strange things started to happen. The wind outside howled louder, and the windows rattled. Shadows danced on the walls, taking the form of grotesque creatures. One by one, the friends started to disappear. The last one left was too terrified to move as a large, horned figure emerged from the darkness, ready to make this Christmas the last for them all.
Isolation is a common element. Like in a story where a family is snowed - in during Christmas at a remote house, cut off from the outside world. Then strange things start to happen. Another element is the perversion of Christmas symbols. For example, a possessed Christmas tree or an evil Santa Claus.
There was a small town where every Christmas, a figure in a tattered Santa suit would appear in the graveyard. A young boy decided to follow the figure one Christmas Eve. He trailed it to an old abandoned house where he saw the Santa figure digging up a grave. The boy ran away in terror, and the mystery of the graveyard Santa remained unsolved. This town was never the same during Christmas again.
One short horror Christmas story could be about a family that moves into an old mansion on Christmas Eve. As they start to decorate, they notice a strange old ornament that seems to have a life of its own. Every time they turn their backs, it moves to a different place. At night, they hear eerie Christmas carols coming from the attic, but no one is up there. Eventually, they realize the house was once the site of a tragic Christmas event and the spirit is trapped, trying to relive that fateful day.
A frequent theme is the contrast between the expected joy of Christmas and the horror that unfolds. This contrast creates a sense of unease and shock. Ghosts are also a common element. They could be the spirits of those who had a bad Christmas in the past or were wronged during the holiday season. Additionally, the idea of a wintery, desolate landscape adding to the horror is common. The cold, the snow, and the long nights can all be used to create an atmosphere of dread, and in a Christmas horror short story, this is often exploited to great effect.
One well - known Christmas horror short story is 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. It combines the festive elements of Christmas with spooky and dark themes. The story is about Jack Skellington, from Halloween Town, who discovers Christmas and tries to take it over in his own macabre way.