Shadows creep across the walls as the string of lights flashes off and on. Snow falls slowly, blanketing the yard and painting the world white. But what about those strange footprints outside? Was that shape there on the wall before? Here are five creature features to remind you the man in the red and white suit isn’t the only thing that goes bump in the night.

Gremlins (1984)

A classic film on its own, Gremlins has become a holiday staple since its 1984 release. From writer Chris Columbus (The Goonies, Home Alone, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone) and director Joe Dante (The Howling, The ‘Burbs, and Small Soldiers), Gremlins follows a teen gifted with the mysterious Mogwai, Gizmo: a small, fur-covered creature with a strict feeding schedule and environmental limitations. When the rules are inevitably broken, all hell breaks loose in this holiday mayhem-fest. Starring Zach Galligan (Waxwork, G-Men from Hell, and Hatchet III), Phoebe Cates (Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Drop Dead Fred), Corey Feldman (Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, The Goonies, and The Lost Boys), and Dick Miller (Chopping Mall, Night of the Creeps, and The Terminator), Gremlins is a perfect blend of horror and hijinks perfect for a family viewing by the yule log.

Krampus (2015)

Returning to the holiday horror playground, co-writer and director Michael Dougherty (Trick ‘r Treat and Godzilla: King of the Monsters) brings the mythological Austro-Bavarian Krampus to life. What’s worse than a dysfunctional family gathering? Throw in an isolating blizzard and a series of monstrously twisted holiday icons, and you get the nightmarish Krampus. Starring an all-star comedic cast of Adam Scott (Hellraiser: Bloodlines, Step-Brothers, and Severance), Toni Collette (Hereditary, Knives Out, and I’m Thinking of Ending Things), David Koechner (Talladega Nights, Anchorman, and Twin Peaks: The Return), Allison Holman (The Gift, Barracuda, and The Sisters Brothers), and Conchata Ferrell (Erin Brockovich, Mr. Deeds, and Two and a Half Men), Krampus expertly blends horror and comedy in this cynical and nihilistic modern classic. 

The Mean One (2022)

Director Steven LaMorte (Bury Me Twice and the upcoming Screamboat—loosely inspired by Disney’s classic animated short Steamboat Willie) helms this unofficial adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ holiday classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The Mean One stars David Howard Thornton—whose portrayal of Art the Clown in the Terrifier franchise has made waves in the horror community—as the titular Mean One, a humanoid monster with green skin and a penchant for murder. Although the film appears to take itself more seriously than it should, it’s incredibly clear that the crew is in on the joke in this campfest. With a town called Newville, and characters named Cindy You-Know-Who, it’s impossible not to enjoy this self-aware re-imagining.

Jack Frost (1997)

Not to be confused with the 1998 Michael Keaton vehicle of the same name, Jack Frost reinvents the Frosty the Snowman figure as a vicious serial killer. When the notorious serial killer Jack Frost is involved in a freak accident during his transfer to an execution center, his essence is transferred into genetically modified snow, allowing him to wreak havoc on the small town of Snowmonton. Co-written and directed by Michael Cooney (Identity, The I Inside, and Shelter), Jack Frost features Scott MacDonald (Jarhead and Water for Elephants), Christopher Allport (To Live and Die in L.A. and Invaders from Mars), and Shannon Elizabeth (Scary Movie, Thirteen Ghosts, and the 2009 remake of Night of the Demons), in this over-the-top comedy horror packed tighter than a snowball with laughs and outrageous kills.

The Thing (1982)

While not technically a holiday film, it’s impossible to deny the atmospheric connection drawn in genre master John Carpenter’s (Halloween, Christine, and Body Bags) adaptation of John W. Campbell’s novella Who Goes There?, The Thing. When an Antarctic research facility is infiltrated by a shapeshifting extraterrestrial, the crew falls victim to isolation, paranoia, and mind-warping body horror. Carpenter’s use of a snow-covered landscape and paranoia perfectly embody the feelings many feel when snowed in during the holiday season—particularly those with dysfunctional families. The film includes an all-star cast featuring Kurt Russell (Big Trouble in Little China, The Hateful Eight, and Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2), Wilford Brimley (Cacoon, The Firm, and Hard Target), Keith David (The Quick and the Dead, Pitch Black, and Coraline), and Richard Masur (Encino Man, Blood In Blood Out, and the It miniseries).