In a few weeks, it will be holiday time. Most of us will hopefully have plenty of time to catch up with family and friends and indulge in your favorite hobbies. Aside from fun and games with loved ones, this is also the perfect time for a movie marathon. Especially one consisting of horror flicks! I've compiled a list of scary movies that work well for the holiday period. A lot of them are set in the Christmas period, others have a vacation setting as the backdrop. Enjoy!

Unholy Night

I must admit this one will be the hardest one to find from this list. This Icelandic horror presents a warped version of Santa Claus. In the flick, a group of people end up in a clinic of sorts in the holiday period. And guess what, Santa Claus drops by! Except … it's not the happy 'Ho ho ho' fellow in a colorful outfit. In fact, it's not even one guy but several guys. These folks are more of the crazy, nutty, slasher variety, complete with a weird supernatural twist to their personality. You know how we have camping stories about the hookman? The 13 different Santas appear to be the Icelandic equivalent of such stories (incidentally, what kind of freaky creature is called Peeping Tom?).

Why would you watch it? Because it is a non-cheesy slasher film. It's set in far off location and has plenty of 'sneaking up on you' moments.

Black Christmas

I'll be an old foggy and only refer to the 1974 movie. Yes, this movie did hit the remake mill which saw a prepped up version being released in 2006. But if you are a horror movie buff, I would recommend the earlier version, especially since it was the one that developed a strong cult following.

While this story is set in Christmas time, it's not directly related to the holiday period (at least not like the previous movie). The story is centered around a sorority house where the girls are bothered by weird phone calls from a guy doing some raspy breathing. Pretty soon, he goes off into even stranger rambling and at times it seems like more than one person is on the phone. Well, guy doesn't just stick to phone calls. He sneaks into the house and starts killing off the girls.

Why would you watch it? Because it is one of the earliest slasher flicks around. It has the 'who never know who amongst you is the flippy one' theme going and might I add, they do it well. The method of presenting the killer and his actions is pretty frightening (his nonsensical ramblings, the way he flails like a mad man when he attacks).

Frit Vilt (Cold Prey)

This Norwegian flick from 2006 is pretty famous. It's snazzier than the other two, especially where the overall look of the flick is concerned. However, it doesn't draw you in like the others. On the plus side, this well-made movie works well as a edge-of-seat thriller if you are looking for a bit of fast-paced action. To be fair, the director also takes pains to build up a scary atmosphere before diving in for the fun bits.

The story is your basic killer-meets-me-in-cabin flick. You know the type. You are on holiday, everyone is having fun, drinking away, doing karaoke, breaking a leg while skiing and next thing you know, wham! A crazy man with a pickaxe is hacking away at your friends. Oh and there has to be the helpless element which is added in nicely. A group of friends are skiing (i.e. far from other humans), they have an accident (can't run far now, can they?) and thus, seek help at the nearest spot. And what do you know? There's no one around in that building but a freaky killer.

Why would you watch it? Great if you are not looking for something immersive. Pretty cinematography adds to the appeal. Director did a good job with the scary thriller bits.

Silent Night, Deadly Night

Come on, admit it! This was classic. Dating back to 1984, this slasher flick may not be a trend-setter (at least not like Black Christmas) but it certain created over a dedicated fanbase. I wonder how this will be received by modern viewers. I know a few older family members who still get upset by this flick. The best bit about this flick, other than the incredibly creepy main protagonist and his madman antics, is the way his psyche is explored early on. And let's face it, the creepy factor is upped when the evil slasher man is dressed as one of the good guys.

The story is a bit complicated but here goes. You have a really troubled man who's parents were killed by a robber in a Santa outfit. Haunted by these memories, he has a warped idea of Santa and how he punishes naughty people. Later on, when he is older, but necessarily wiser, and slugging away at first work place, he snaps. Well, something snaps in him when he has to don the Santa outfit at Christmas. And then he goes on a bit of a rampage.

Why would you watch it? Well-directed with plenty of creepy moments. One of the best 80s examples of a truly scary evil guy.