One characteristic is the unexpected twist. For example, in a story where a person thinks they are being haunted by a ghost, but it turns out to be their friend playing a prank. This sudden change from horror to humor is key.
One common element is misinterpretation. Like in the stories I just told, people think there's something really spooky going on, but it turns out to be something normal or even funny. For example, strange noises that are actually made by animals or old house appliances.
Once upon a time, a traveler checked into a cheap motel. At night, he heard a spooky moan from the bathroom. He summoned all his courage and opened the door. There was a leaking faucet making that noise. He laughed at himself for being so frightened over something so ordinary.
Sure. Here's one. A man was camping alone in the woods. At night, he heard strange noises outside his tent. He peeked out and saw a small, furry creature with big eyes. It looked like a cross between a rabbit and a squirrel. It started doing a little dance. The man was so startled by the oddity that he ran all the way home, but later realized it was probably just a lost pet with a strange sense of humor.
Sure. Here's one. A man woke up in the middle of the night and heard strange scratching at his window. He was terrified but finally got the courage to look. It was just a branch from the tree outside. But when he went back to bed, he heard a voice say 'I moved the branch'.
Sure. There was a story about a man who moved into a new house. Every night, he heard strange scratching noises from the attic. One day, he finally mustered the courage to go up there. He found a family of raccoons that had made a little home for themselves. They looked so cute and startled when they saw him that it turned the spooky situation into a funny one.
There was a girl who got a used doll from a thrift store. The doll had a really creepy face. At night, she heard the doll giggling. She was terrified. But when she investigated, she found out that her little brother had put a voice - changing device inside the doll as a prank. It was a funny turn of events after the initial horror.
One story is about a pregnant woman who woke up in the middle of the night thinking she was leaking amniotic fluid, but it turned out her water bottle had spilled in the bed. It was such a relief but also a hilarious mix - up at first.
One funny Christmas horror story could be about a Christmas tree that comes to life at night. It starts chasing the family around the house with its tinsel swinging like weapons. The family runs screaming, trying to escape the wrath of the possessed tree.
The contrast between horror and humor is a big part. In a short funny horror story, you have the spooky elements like ghosts or strange creatures, which are usually scary. But then the funny part, like the unexpected behavior of the scary thing or a character's comical reaction, makes it interesting. For example, a monster that's afraid of a kitten.