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The Horror Collection Christmas Edition
“’Tis the season… to scream.”
Tinsel and terror return in The Horror Christmas Edition, the latest chilling installment of Kevin J. Kennedy’s bestselling anthology series. This festive fright-fest unwraps a sleigh full of sinister tales from an all-star lineup of horror’s finest authors. Where the season of goodwill turns into the season of screams.
Deep in the snow-shrouded North Pole, Santa Claus hides a century-old secret that could end Christmas forever, while Mrs. Claus, tired of her husband’s jolly façade, plots a dark revenge that drips with blood-red ribbon. Krampus stalks the naughty once more — but this year, he’s brought friends. From haunted dolls that whisper in the night to killer advent calendars counting down to your final breath, each story is a gift you’ll wish you’d left unopened.
With its blend of twisted tradition, folklore, and modern terror, The Horror Christmas Edition proves that even under the mistletoe, no one is safe. Grab a mug of cocoa, stoke the fire, and prepare for a festive season you’ll never forget — if you live to see the New Year.
With stories by Ronald Kelly, Lindsay Crook, Dexter McLeod, Milan Kovačević, Viggy Parr Hampton, Glenn Rolfe, Devin Cabrera, Graham Masterton, Ryan Colley, Lisa Morton, Brad Ricks, Iain Rob Wright, David Moody, Veronica Smith, Amy Cross & James Newman
Tinsel and terror return in The Horror Christmas Edition, the latest chilling installment of Kevin J. Kennedy’s bestselling anthology series. This festive fright-fest unwraps a sleigh full of sinister tales from an all-star lineup of horror’s finest authors. Where the season of goodwill turns into the season of screams.
Deep in the snow-shrouded North Pole, Santa Claus hides a century-old secret that could end Christmas forever, while Mrs. Claus, tired of her husband’s jolly façade, plots a dark revenge that drips with blood-red ribbon. Krampus stalks the naughty once more — but this year, he’s brought friends. From haunted dolls that whisper in the night to killer advent calendars counting down to your final breath, each story is a gift you’ll wish you’d left unopened.
With its blend of twisted tradition, folklore, and modern terror, The Horror Christmas Edition proves that even under the mistletoe, no one is safe. Grab a mug of cocoa, stoke the fire, and prepare for a festive season you’ll never forget — if you live to see the New Year.
With stories by Ronald Kelly, Lindsay Crook, Dexter McLeod, Milan Kovačević, Viggy Parr Hampton, Glenn Rolfe, Devin Cabrera, Graham Masterton, Ryan Colley, Lisa Morton, Brad Ricks, Iain Rob Wright, David Moody, Veronica Smith, Amy Cross & James Newman
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 10, 2025
91 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
Kevin J. Kennedy
140 books325 followersKevin J. Kennedy is a horror author, editor, and anthologist. He is the owner of KJK Publishing and runs the bestselling 'The Horror Collection' series. He is the author of Halloween Land, The Clown and Nothing is Real.
He lives in the heart of Scotland with his beautiful wife, three cats, Carlito, Ariel and Luna, and a Pomchi called Orko. He can be found on Facebook if you want to chat with him.
He lives in the heart of Scotland with his beautiful wife, three cats, Carlito, Ariel and Luna, and a Pomchi called Orko. He can be found on Facebook if you want to chat with him.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
December 3, 2025
It’s time for dark, scary, and horrifying Christmastime stories, and The Horror Collection: Christmas Edition has you covered. This is book 27 in the acclaimed The Horror Collection anthology series, and like so many before it, this one has an impressive lineup of authors.
This fantastic Christmas horror anthology has stories ranging from haunting, to dark, to chilling, to horrifying, and I was amazed and impressed by the true diversity of topics and plots. The anthology begins with Ronald Kelly’s “The Peddler’s Journey,” and even if you have a preference for the darker, more horrifying stuff, you gotta love the haunting suspense of this amazing and compelling tale.
But it gets decidedly intense after that. Seriously, Lindsay Crook’s “Ho Ho Hangry” is an absolutely blasphemous and nasty little Santa story, and it’s so well done. Then Dexter McLeod’s “Wassailing Through the Mire” is a more serious and complex tale, and Milan Kovačević’s “Happy Hero Hank” just about destroyed me.
But wait, there’s more. There’s Viggy Parr Hampton’s intensely disturbing “The Advent of Misery,” Glenn Rolfe’s fun and brutal “Welcome to Paradise,” Devin Cabrera’s gut-clenching tale of Christmas terror “The Clatter,” and Graham Masterton’s folkhorror story “Anti-Claus.” Then there’s James Newman’s short, wicked, and chilling piece “Under the Mistletoe,” which is followed by his dark fable/fairytale-esque story “Presence.”
But there’s still more: Ryan Colley’s atmospheric and horrifying “Fear Actually,” Lisa Morton’s Christmas occult horror “The Best Cookie Dough Ever,” Brad Ricks’s tale of elf on a shelf terror “Devil on the Shelf,” Iain Rob Wright’s brilliant, brutal, and soul-crushing “The Human Advent Calendar,” David Moody’s cleverly written and provocative gem “Wish I Could be Home for Christmas,” and Veronica Smith’s wicked, grisly, and irreverent Santa horror story “The 200th Anniversary.” Then the anthology closes with Amy Cross’s intense, haunting, and poignant “Christmas Hours,” which I found both chilling and moving.
With 17 stories in all, this is a perfect holiday season read. Snatch this up and enjoy a holiday horror in the short bursts of time the busy season allows you to read. Or steal away and read them all at once. Either way, it’s a highly recommended read.
A Bibliophilia Templum review
https://bibliophiliatemplum.wordpress.com/2025/12/03/the-horror-collection-christmas-edition/
This fantastic Christmas horror anthology has stories ranging from haunting, to dark, to chilling, to horrifying, and I was amazed and impressed by the true diversity of topics and plots. The anthology begins with Ronald Kelly’s “The Peddler’s Journey,” and even if you have a preference for the darker, more horrifying stuff, you gotta love the haunting suspense of this amazing and compelling tale.
But it gets decidedly intense after that. Seriously, Lindsay Crook’s “Ho Ho Hangry” is an absolutely blasphemous and nasty little Santa story, and it’s so well done. Then Dexter McLeod’s “Wassailing Through the Mire” is a more serious and complex tale, and Milan Kovačević’s “Happy Hero Hank” just about destroyed me.
But wait, there’s more. There’s Viggy Parr Hampton’s intensely disturbing “The Advent of Misery,” Glenn Rolfe’s fun and brutal “Welcome to Paradise,” Devin Cabrera’s gut-clenching tale of Christmas terror “The Clatter,” and Graham Masterton’s folkhorror story “Anti-Claus.” Then there’s James Newman’s short, wicked, and chilling piece “Under the Mistletoe,” which is followed by his dark fable/fairytale-esque story “Presence.”
But there’s still more: Ryan Colley’s atmospheric and horrifying “Fear Actually,” Lisa Morton’s Christmas occult horror “The Best Cookie Dough Ever,” Brad Ricks’s tale of elf on a shelf terror “Devil on the Shelf,” Iain Rob Wright’s brilliant, brutal, and soul-crushing “The Human Advent Calendar,” David Moody’s cleverly written and provocative gem “Wish I Could be Home for Christmas,” and Veronica Smith’s wicked, grisly, and irreverent Santa horror story “The 200th Anniversary.” Then the anthology closes with Amy Cross’s intense, haunting, and poignant “Christmas Hours,” which I found both chilling and moving.
With 17 stories in all, this is a perfect holiday season read. Snatch this up and enjoy a holiday horror in the short bursts of time the busy season allows you to read. Or steal away and read them all at once. Either way, it’s a highly recommended read.
A Bibliophilia Templum review
https://bibliophiliatemplum.wordpress.com/2025/12/03/the-horror-collection-christmas-edition/
November 12, 2025
Christmas cheer for those of us with a rather strange look at Christmas.
Very entertaining and creepy as can be. You have to read this for Christmas!
Very entertaining and creepy as can be. You have to read this for Christmas!
November 15, 2025
The Horror Collection has a new edition, Christmas. Christmas horror is one of the most difficult to write for an author. How many killer Santas can you read about or his nemesis Krampus? It reaches the point where it is ad nauseum. The road to success is to think outside the box. With that said, let's review these stories.
The Peddler's Journey- Ronald Kelly
This is a wondrous Christmas story full of warmth. It is the type of story that can be told in front of a roaring fire, surrounded by Christmas melodies on the radio.
It is a perfect fit for a Hans Christian Anderson anthology. It belongs in a Disney film, not a horror collection. There was a commercial on television years ago about an old woman who didn't get enough meat on her sandwich. “Where's the Beef?” was the slogan. This reader wants to know, "Where's the horror?”
Ho Ho Hangry Lindsay Crook
We all have that raving desire to feast on the foods that we relish, while on a strict diet. Oh, what we would give for a juicy piece of steak instead of tofu or munch on a scrumptious cookie instead of a stale rock solid one. My friends, Santa is no exception and he is fed up with healthy food, the alternative is quite horrifying.
Wassailing Through the Mire Dexter McLeod
Suffering from grief and heartache is a human condition. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, a health issue, or anything else under the Sun. Now imagine that there were creatures that actually feed on these emotions like a vampire drinks blood.
Happy Hero Hank - Milan Kovačević
Happy Hero Hank seems to be the ideal gift for any child. One might add it is worth killing for. In the realm of the Supernatural not everything appears as it looks and our mind plays horrific tricks on us.
The Advent of Misery Viggy Parr Hampton
Open the drawers on this calendar and the darkness will overwhelm you. Not all wishes are fulfilled by a genie in a bottle or coins in a fountain.
Welcome to Paradise Glenn Rolfe
Natural Born Killers a la Christmas. It is said that opposites attract. In some cases, the most bloodthirsty individuals discover that they too have a soul mate.
The Clatter Devin Cabrera.
The blizzardary scenes bring back ill forgotten memories of harsh Winters in the past. The story had me engrossed in it from the beginning. My eyes were glued to each page as they reached the conclusion. Disappointment overwhelmed me at the end. It was mundane and I expected more
Anti-Claus Graham Masterton
Being an avid fan of the Manitou series, I was over excited to read this tale by one of the great masters of Horror. When I read stories about Satan, I expect him not to be defeated so easily.
Under the Mistletoe James Newman
Nothing is so romantic as kissing under the Mistletoe. It is a long known tradition that when under it, a kiss is required. Hopefully it is with someone you adore. What if there were evil intentions? What if the Mistletoe was not as innocent as we believe, but a monstrosity in search of carnage?
Presence James Newman
When it comes to clutter, I am guilty. There are books and movies all over the place. Sometimes it seems like the maze of the Minotaur to go from one area to the next. Thankfully no monsters exist in my clutter, but that can't be said for the characters in this horror tale.
Fear Actually Ryan Colley
Monsters come in all shapes and sizes. Look around you and might encounter one in the most mundane house item. This Christmas terror visits a family in a shape that you would never suspect in your wildest dreams.
The Best Cookie Dough Ever Lisa Morton
Can cookie dough cause worms? I don't know, but in this tale worm is an understatement. Think Tremors.
Devil on the Shelf Brad Ricks
Dolls with sinister agendas is a theme that runs across horror literature and innocence isn't taken into account
The Human Advent Calendar Iain Rob Wright
If you love gore and splatter and have to read only one Christmas story, this is it. I loved this story so much that I read it twice. This book deserves five or more stars based on this story alone. The author didn't just do a fantastic job, he did an extraordinary one.
I'm actually getting chills down my spine actually thinking about this masterpiece of the macabre.
Wish I Could be Home for Christmas David Moody
If you ever wondered what a story that has both elements of Wicker Man and Cthulhu is like, then read on. This tale begins on a slow note. Page after page I was wondering when the horror would show its face and then the sky opened and it appeared.
The 200th Anniversary Veronica Smith
I am familiar with the Robert Burns poem, which includes the line, “ the best laid schemes of mice and men.” I never realized that this could apply to Christmas reindeer as well in this enjoyable, well written tale of revenge.
Christmas Hours - Amy Cross
Scrooge was visited by three ghosts and if count Marley it is four.
There are a lot more in this story, and despite some of the ghost's gory appearances, it still reminds me of a Hallmark movie rather than horror.
The Peddler's Journey- Ronald Kelly
This is a wondrous Christmas story full of warmth. It is the type of story that can be told in front of a roaring fire, surrounded by Christmas melodies on the radio.
It is a perfect fit for a Hans Christian Anderson anthology. It belongs in a Disney film, not a horror collection. There was a commercial on television years ago about an old woman who didn't get enough meat on her sandwich. “Where's the Beef?” was the slogan. This reader wants to know, "Where's the horror?”
Ho Ho Hangry Lindsay Crook
We all have that raving desire to feast on the foods that we relish, while on a strict diet. Oh, what we would give for a juicy piece of steak instead of tofu or munch on a scrumptious cookie instead of a stale rock solid one. My friends, Santa is no exception and he is fed up with healthy food, the alternative is quite horrifying.
Wassailing Through the Mire Dexter McLeod
Suffering from grief and heartache is a human condition. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, a health issue, or anything else under the Sun. Now imagine that there were creatures that actually feed on these emotions like a vampire drinks blood.
Happy Hero Hank - Milan Kovačević
Happy Hero Hank seems to be the ideal gift for any child. One might add it is worth killing for. In the realm of the Supernatural not everything appears as it looks and our mind plays horrific tricks on us.
The Advent of Misery Viggy Parr Hampton
Open the drawers on this calendar and the darkness will overwhelm you. Not all wishes are fulfilled by a genie in a bottle or coins in a fountain.
Welcome to Paradise Glenn Rolfe
Natural Born Killers a la Christmas. It is said that opposites attract. In some cases, the most bloodthirsty individuals discover that they too have a soul mate.
The Clatter Devin Cabrera.
The blizzardary scenes bring back ill forgotten memories of harsh Winters in the past. The story had me engrossed in it from the beginning. My eyes were glued to each page as they reached the conclusion. Disappointment overwhelmed me at the end. It was mundane and I expected more
Anti-Claus Graham Masterton
Being an avid fan of the Manitou series, I was over excited to read this tale by one of the great masters of Horror. When I read stories about Satan, I expect him not to be defeated so easily.
Under the Mistletoe James Newman
Nothing is so romantic as kissing under the Mistletoe. It is a long known tradition that when under it, a kiss is required. Hopefully it is with someone you adore. What if there were evil intentions? What if the Mistletoe was not as innocent as we believe, but a monstrosity in search of carnage?
Presence James Newman
When it comes to clutter, I am guilty. There are books and movies all over the place. Sometimes it seems like the maze of the Minotaur to go from one area to the next. Thankfully no monsters exist in my clutter, but that can't be said for the characters in this horror tale.
Fear Actually Ryan Colley
Monsters come in all shapes and sizes. Look around you and might encounter one in the most mundane house item. This Christmas terror visits a family in a shape that you would never suspect in your wildest dreams.
The Best Cookie Dough Ever Lisa Morton
Can cookie dough cause worms? I don't know, but in this tale worm is an understatement. Think Tremors.
Devil on the Shelf Brad Ricks
Dolls with sinister agendas is a theme that runs across horror literature and innocence isn't taken into account
The Human Advent Calendar Iain Rob Wright
If you love gore and splatter and have to read only one Christmas story, this is it. I loved this story so much that I read it twice. This book deserves five or more stars based on this story alone. The author didn't just do a fantastic job, he did an extraordinary one.
I'm actually getting chills down my spine actually thinking about this masterpiece of the macabre.
Wish I Could be Home for Christmas David Moody
If you ever wondered what a story that has both elements of Wicker Man and Cthulhu is like, then read on. This tale begins on a slow note. Page after page I was wondering when the horror would show its face and then the sky opened and it appeared.
The 200th Anniversary Veronica Smith
I am familiar with the Robert Burns poem, which includes the line, “ the best laid schemes of mice and men.” I never realized that this could apply to Christmas reindeer as well in this enjoyable, well written tale of revenge.
Christmas Hours - Amy Cross
Scrooge was visited by three ghosts and if count Marley it is four.
There are a lot more in this story, and despite some of the ghost's gory appearances, it still reminds me of a Hallmark movie rather than horror.
November 9, 2025
Wow, the authors in this anthology pull no punches! Every little Christmas detail is up for grabs: Santa, Krampus, the reindeers, Mrs. Santa, the Christmas tree, the elves, even the presents, they all get their turn in the spotlight on the most sinister and evil part of Yuletide! And the stories, 17 in total, vary so much: ghost tales, revenge stories, nightmarish holidays, cursed toys, worm-worshiping cults, and plenty of heartbreaking endings, shocking premises and cutthroat twists! The real Christmas miracle, however, is how Kevin Kennedy manages to add one Horror Collection after another without ever dropping the quality or recycling existing material! The man was born for this!
There are too many good stories to mention, so I'll summarize my top six and give a couple of recommendations.
The opening story, Ronald Kelly's "The Peddler’s Journey," is a feat of Christmas horror storytelling, meant to pierce the heart as well as unsettle the mind, combining the heartfelt enthusiasm of two kids listening to one of their grandpa's tales, with a sense of loss and nostalgia about a version of Santa equally holy and ghostly.
"The Advent of Misery" by Viggy Parr Hampton is an advent calendar story, messing with domestic abuse, body horror and oppressive motherhood. Lots of surprises in this one, with a terrific punchline ending!
"Welcome to Paradise" by Glenn Rolfe pits a female serial killer against her latest victim, and delivers a holiday love story full of sex and violence!
"Anti-Claus" by Graham Masterton is a creepy folk horror story about who's the real Santa Nicholas: the one in Lapland or the guy that lived on his own in a cabin on the Sad Dog River? Quite the trippy story!
"The Human Advent Calendar" by Iain Robin Wright - another advent calendar story, but totally different from Hampton's: a brilliant revenge tale with a shocking premise, taking family horror on an entirely different level!
The closing story, "Christmas Hours" by Amy Cross is a heartbreaking tale of ghosts, memories and regret, about a pub that opens only on Christmas Day, functioning as a portal to the afterlife.
Special mention: "Ho Ho Hangry" by Lindsay Crook, a horror comedy tale of Santa forced to turn... vegan! And "Happy Hero Hank" by Milan Kovačević, a family horror story, about a popular toy and a father who just has to get it for his son as a Christmas gift, with a surprising twist in the ending!
If you love Christmas or holiday horror in general, this is a killer anthology! Highly recommend!
There are too many good stories to mention, so I'll summarize my top six and give a couple of recommendations.
The opening story, Ronald Kelly's "The Peddler’s Journey," is a feat of Christmas horror storytelling, meant to pierce the heart as well as unsettle the mind, combining the heartfelt enthusiasm of two kids listening to one of their grandpa's tales, with a sense of loss and nostalgia about a version of Santa equally holy and ghostly.
"The Advent of Misery" by Viggy Parr Hampton is an advent calendar story, messing with domestic abuse, body horror and oppressive motherhood. Lots of surprises in this one, with a terrific punchline ending!
"Welcome to Paradise" by Glenn Rolfe pits a female serial killer against her latest victim, and delivers a holiday love story full of sex and violence!
"Anti-Claus" by Graham Masterton is a creepy folk horror story about who's the real Santa Nicholas: the one in Lapland or the guy that lived on his own in a cabin on the Sad Dog River? Quite the trippy story!
"The Human Advent Calendar" by Iain Robin Wright - another advent calendar story, but totally different from Hampton's: a brilliant revenge tale with a shocking premise, taking family horror on an entirely different level!
The closing story, "Christmas Hours" by Amy Cross is a heartbreaking tale of ghosts, memories and regret, about a pub that opens only on Christmas Day, functioning as a portal to the afterlife.
Special mention: "Ho Ho Hangry" by Lindsay Crook, a horror comedy tale of Santa forced to turn... vegan! And "Happy Hero Hank" by Milan Kovačević, a family horror story, about a popular toy and a father who just has to get it for his son as a Christmas gift, with a surprising twist in the ending!
If you love Christmas or holiday horror in general, this is a killer anthology! Highly recommend!
November 18, 2025
Another great collection of horror stories based on Christmas. Human Advent calendar was my favorite!
November 10, 2025
A peddler is determined to deliver a a Christmas gift no matter how long it takes. What happens when Mrs. Claus gets fed up with Santa? These and other delightful creepy Christmas horror tales.
November 20, 2025
can't wait to reread closer to Christmas but I had a blast reading this book. the Horror Collections never fail to provide me entertainment and spooks all in one. this is in my top 10 for sure
November 19, 2025
This is another banger of a KJK anthology that, like the others, never fails to hit the mark. This one focuses on Christmas and is filled with diverse tales that kept me wanting more right until the very end.
There are 17 stories included, ranging from urban legends, to evil presents, to reindeer tired of putting up with Santa, there's pretty much something for everyone in here. There's even some dark humor included (Ho Ho Hangry and 200th anniversary I'm looking at you). My favourites are listed below.
"The Peddler's Journey" by Ronald Kelly is very light on the horror but is brimming with the feel of the season. Told through a retelling of an urban legend by a grandfather to a couple of children, the story cleverly brings the past and present together in a way that evokes the magic of the christmas season.
"Ho Ho Hangry" by Lindsey Crook is the next story up. When Mrs Clause decides to go vegan and convinces not just the elves but the entire world, Santa is forced to go along with it but both his anger and hunger for meat end up getting the best of him. I had a lot of fun reading this one!
"Anti-Claus" by Graham Masterton follows a couple of surveyors for the Minnesota Forestry Department who get stuck in a town and hear a local legend about how the real Santa lived in the area and that he wasn't at all like the one we all know and love. I loved how this one played out and the twist at the end. Masterton is one of my favorite authors for a reason!
"Devil on the Shelf" by Brad Ricks tells a tale of the last elf on the shelf type toy called "Jingles" that is bought by a mother and her young daughter. When whispers start filling the house along with the sound of tiny footsteps, it soon becomes apparent Jingles is not exactly what he seems.
"The Advent of Misery" by Viggy Parr Hampton is a vicious tale of revenge gone wrong when a mother gifts her son an old wooden advent calender that has been passed down through the family. There are multiple layers to the story and the way it plays out makes this one of the standouts in the anthology.
This is a fantastic collection and one not to miss if you are after something spooky this Christmas season.
There are 17 stories included, ranging from urban legends, to evil presents, to reindeer tired of putting up with Santa, there's pretty much something for everyone in here. There's even some dark humor included (Ho Ho Hangry and 200th anniversary I'm looking at you). My favourites are listed below.
"The Peddler's Journey" by Ronald Kelly is very light on the horror but is brimming with the feel of the season. Told through a retelling of an urban legend by a grandfather to a couple of children, the story cleverly brings the past and present together in a way that evokes the magic of the christmas season.
"Ho Ho Hangry" by Lindsey Crook is the next story up. When Mrs Clause decides to go vegan and convinces not just the elves but the entire world, Santa is forced to go along with it but both his anger and hunger for meat end up getting the best of him. I had a lot of fun reading this one!
"Anti-Claus" by Graham Masterton follows a couple of surveyors for the Minnesota Forestry Department who get stuck in a town and hear a local legend about how the real Santa lived in the area and that he wasn't at all like the one we all know and love. I loved how this one played out and the twist at the end. Masterton is one of my favorite authors for a reason!
"Devil on the Shelf" by Brad Ricks tells a tale of the last elf on the shelf type toy called "Jingles" that is bought by a mother and her young daughter. When whispers start filling the house along with the sound of tiny footsteps, it soon becomes apparent Jingles is not exactly what he seems.
"The Advent of Misery" by Viggy Parr Hampton is a vicious tale of revenge gone wrong when a mother gifts her son an old wooden advent calender that has been passed down through the family. There are multiple layers to the story and the way it plays out makes this one of the standouts in the anthology.
This is a fantastic collection and one not to miss if you are after something spooky this Christmas season.
November 8, 2025
Its the most wonderful time of the year- or is it?! For the poor characters of this collection of stories, things are about to get jolly horrific! From some of the best horror authors come festive tales to thrill and chill, and it's another incredible selection. Some authors I've read before, and it's fun to habe something different to try, and other authors are new to me, so I'll be looking forward to reading more of their work. Kevin J Kennedy certainly knows how to put an anthology together for maximum impact!
November 16, 2025
Christmas with a twist! This book took me over the top and to the edge of my seat. Each story was epic. Loved it
December 25, 2025
I loved this!!!
A few highlights:
Ho Ho Hangry made me laugh REALLY hard, but then...ick.
Happy Hero Hank was brutal, but also very sad.
The Advent of Misery... 🤮🤮🤮. But also Viggy Parr Hampton might be one of my new fav writers....
Welcome to Paradise...uuuuhhh. But also, I loved it. Anyone who loved Maeve Fly will appreciate this.
200th Anniversary...I guess no one can like each other after that long?!
I will definitely be checking out more of these anthologies. None of the stories were bad. Im impressed.
A few highlights:
Ho Ho Hangry made me laugh REALLY hard, but then...ick.
Happy Hero Hank was brutal, but also very sad.
The Advent of Misery... 🤮🤮🤮. But also Viggy Parr Hampton might be one of my new fav writers....
Welcome to Paradise...uuuuhhh. But also, I loved it. Anyone who loved Maeve Fly will appreciate this.
200th Anniversary...I guess no one can like each other after that long?!
I will definitely be checking out more of these anthologies. None of the stories were bad. Im impressed.
January 16, 2026
I read all of these collections. Had some really good stories !
December 10, 2025
Very entertaining
December 30, 2025
These are great collections
I love reading about evil Santas, Krampus and trees on rampages. It's just what you need after the sickly sweet jovial Christmas. Honestly this puts a whole new slant on the festivities. Loving the last story.
I love reading about evil Santas, Krampus and trees on rampages. It's just what you need after the sickly sweet jovial Christmas. Honestly this puts a whole new slant on the festivities. Loving the last story.
January 4, 2026
An excellent collection of creepy Christmas stories.
From Santa to well a whole host of things to be honest.
If you want a creepyfest of scary, fun, crazy Christmas horror, here it is.
Loving these books. Taste of alsorts in them
From Santa to well a whole host of things to be honest.
If you want a creepyfest of scary, fun, crazy Christmas horror, here it is.
Loving these books. Taste of alsorts in them
January 8, 2026
Interesting
Some of the stories were fun, others intense. One I just couldn't read at all. But that is my prerogative. The last story by Amy Cross was awesome. It was heart warming and sad at the same time.
Some of the stories were fun, others intense. One I just couldn't read at all. But that is my prerogative. The last story by Amy Cross was awesome. It was heart warming and sad at the same time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2025
A great collection - there are some good ones in here!
January 6, 2026
very good book with lots of fresh stories highly recommended you will not be dissapointed
December 31, 2025
As a rule, I find anthologies a bit hit and miss, naturally. This one, however, was all sorts of brilliant. Every story was a hit, and their arrangement was completely perfect. There were so many stories that left me awestruck with their brilliance.
Stand-out's for me include:
- The 200th Anniversary
- The Human Advent Calendar
- Ho Ho Hangry
- Welcome to Paradise
Stand-out's for me include:
- The 200th Anniversary
- The Human Advent Calendar
- Ho Ho Hangry
- Welcome to Paradise
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2025
There’s Santa Claus the story and then there’s the real Santa Claus.
3 ½ broken baubles. Man, I've got no idea how to review an anthology of Christmas Horror stories. I did enjoy "The Horror Collection Christmas Edition" that is apparently collected together (as collections tend to be) by Kevin J. Kennedy and edited along with Ann Keeran (we will be discussing my reaction to Ms. Keeran's efforts in a moment). It features a lot of great names in the genre, including Graham Masterton, David Moody, Iain Rob Wright, and my own personal "oh gee, she's in it?" selling point, namely, the fantastic Viggy Parr Hampton, who this year joined my written-in-stone list of "must buy" authors. Yep, she's that good!
The whole place was filled with sodding Christmas cheer.
Like any other anthology centered around Theme X (similar to but not the same as Chemical X from the Powerpuff Girls!), there were some absolutely mind-boggling entries that offered true blue scares and even emotional moments, some very average offers (Viggy, what happened?) and then one or two stories that I could have definitely gone without. On the grand scale of anthologies I have read, which admittedly is not many, this was one of the better ones. I'll say it again: if you're looking for good Christmas-themed horror tales - and are mayhaps subsequently participating in a Christmas BINGO read-a-thon this is a good place to start!
Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen. Fuck just go already.
Kindly note though that I do not want to nor will I go story-by-story; but here are some comments about three (3) or maybe four (4) or even five (5)(why do people always do that? Write the number out then include it right away again in its arabic form?) of my own favorites:
"Ho Ho Hangry" By Lindsay Crook COMBINED WITH "The 200th Anniversary" By Veronica Smith
- Now both of these entries give us a fantastic look at life with the Claus's and their elves and reindeer and I think go really well together, even if they appear at different ends of the book. But in my brainpan, they've certainly managed to merge together (must be all the tofu gravy). On one hand, it seems ol' Santa does his big night of work, comes home for a bit of post-frozen fornication with the Mrs. - with whom he's been married exactly 200 years! - and then jolly ol' hibernates for the next 11 months. So jolly you can't stand it, n'est-ce pas? Well, not exactly. In one story, apparently during his last long sleep, Mrs. Claus went vegan ("…the nut roast that was as dry as arseholes, stealing all the moisture in his mouth…") and that has just tipped the scales too far for the Fat Man. And in our second, you can imagine some of the "shenanigans" going on - all of which point to murder most foul by just about every member of any song featuring the crew - we wind up with a hilarious look at "true feelings" and carnage as we find out just who hates whom the most in the distant North Pole. Let's just say that if the events of either of these come true, we're going to have to re-write, well, just about every non-religious Christmas song you can think of!
Do you have a moment to talk about my Lord and Savior, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer…?
"Happy Hero Hank" By Milan Kovačević
- Now any reader can be forgiven if they find a little bit of Arnold Terminator's "Jingle All the Way" in it, as we focus heavily on the effects not being able to get that "must have" toy for your child along the way. But trust me, though you may sympathize with our lonely protagonist during this dark, dark holiday ("All the Merry Christmases end up sounding fake... A retail ritual. A New Year’s nothing.") you will not see where this one is going. An often cruel and even depressing series of events begin to become ever clearer in terms of their cause and definitely more shocking as the story progresses, ending up with a devastating ending that I certainly didn't see coming. Brutal and efficient, this one will stick with me for a long time!
The day should have been filled with joy, but felt fragile instead…
"Anti-Claus" By Graham Masterton
- An extremely well-constructed folklore based tale based on the TRUE origin of Santa, but not one that anyone should have or would remember fondly. I especially think anyone from the Midwest will particularly enjoy it (no worries New Jerseyites, there's a story for you, too, and it's a doozy!). This story unfolds slowly but surely, as the history and still active curses take us ever deeper into this nightmare. I have to admit to being especially surprised at this entry as I haven't had the best "luck" with Masteron's works in the past. But this was a top-notch read amongst this set including what I thought was a very eerie and thought-provoking ending!
Santa was in the chimney… It was clear that he was dead.
"Fear Actually" By Ryan Colley
- One of the longer entries in the book which takes its own sweet time in setting things up with an ever-increasing amount of dread and tension, it is also perhaps the most aptly named. What starts off as the most normal and traditional of Christmas times for one family ("It was the usual chaos of family Christmas – imperfect, cheerful, human.") soon turns into a maelstrom of unexplainable horror and bloodshed. I mean, we know once the strange package appears - wrapped as perfect as perfect can be (even preternaturally so) - that something is very very wrong with it. What then transpires is beyond frightening as we feel the family's terror as slowly but surely loved ones are either mangled and bloodied or worse as they continue to fight with all their heart and soul to survive. This is the one story in the whole bunch that I thought would have made a great stand-alone offer if we had somehow been able to beef it up just a little. And no, I'm not talking about adding more bits of Grandma's missing terrier to the stew.
All around them, the presents and tree shuddered with malignant life.
Beyond that - and again these were just the highlights - it worked overall very well and read very quickly. HOWEVER, I was more than a little disappointed in the poor editing. Yes, as per usual, we ignore far too many basic grammar rules (can we not learn about continuing sentences with quotation marks, especially those that continue like "The magic is still here." She said. SHOULD BE WRITTEN "The magic is still here," she said.!!!) I was also really surprised that over and over again it seemed like random words wound up "glued" together ("voicerang", "hisarms", "dinnerstill", etc.), which gave the impression that the book was not well-reviewed, certainly not in its entirety. Providing more proof of same, many of the previously mentioned editing hiccups were inconsistent from story-to-story, which just said to me the collection had not been sufficiently reviewed as a whole, start-to-finish unit. Why authors of good renown should put up with that kind of "service" is beyond me. Oh well, at least the coal in the publication crew's stockings will keep them warm once they're tossed out on the streets to think about what they've done… or not done, I'm not sure…
NOTE: not all quotes line up with "their" stories, that is, from which they originated. So, um… oops?
3 ½ broken baubles. Man, I've got no idea how to review an anthology of Christmas Horror stories. I did enjoy "The Horror Collection Christmas Edition" that is apparently collected together (as collections tend to be) by Kevin J. Kennedy and edited along with Ann Keeran (we will be discussing my reaction to Ms. Keeran's efforts in a moment). It features a lot of great names in the genre, including Graham Masterton, David Moody, Iain Rob Wright, and my own personal "oh gee, she's in it?" selling point, namely, the fantastic Viggy Parr Hampton, who this year joined my written-in-stone list of "must buy" authors. Yep, she's that good!
The whole place was filled with sodding Christmas cheer.
Like any other anthology centered around Theme X (similar to but not the same as Chemical X from the Powerpuff Girls!), there were some absolutely mind-boggling entries that offered true blue scares and even emotional moments, some very average offers (Viggy, what happened?) and then one or two stories that I could have definitely gone without. On the grand scale of anthologies I have read, which admittedly is not many, this was one of the better ones. I'll say it again: if you're looking for good Christmas-themed horror tales - and are mayhaps subsequently participating in a Christmas BINGO read-a-thon this is a good place to start!
Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen. Fuck just go already.
Kindly note though that I do not want to nor will I go story-by-story; but here are some comments about three (3) or maybe four (4) or even five (5)(why do people always do that? Write the number out then include it right away again in its arabic form?) of my own favorites:
"Ho Ho Hangry" By Lindsay Crook COMBINED WITH "The 200th Anniversary" By Veronica Smith
- Now both of these entries give us a fantastic look at life with the Claus's and their elves and reindeer and I think go really well together, even if they appear at different ends of the book. But in my brainpan, they've certainly managed to merge together (must be all the tofu gravy). On one hand, it seems ol' Santa does his big night of work, comes home for a bit of post-frozen fornication with the Mrs. - with whom he's been married exactly 200 years! - and then jolly ol' hibernates for the next 11 months. So jolly you can't stand it, n'est-ce pas? Well, not exactly. In one story, apparently during his last long sleep, Mrs. Claus went vegan ("…the nut roast that was as dry as arseholes, stealing all the moisture in his mouth…") and that has just tipped the scales too far for the Fat Man. And in our second, you can imagine some of the "shenanigans" going on - all of which point to murder most foul by just about every member of any song featuring the crew - we wind up with a hilarious look at "true feelings" and carnage as we find out just who hates whom the most in the distant North Pole. Let's just say that if the events of either of these come true, we're going to have to re-write, well, just about every non-religious Christmas song you can think of!
Do you have a moment to talk about my Lord and Savior, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer…?
"Happy Hero Hank" By Milan Kovačević
- Now any reader can be forgiven if they find a little bit of Arnold Terminator's "Jingle All the Way" in it, as we focus heavily on the effects not being able to get that "must have" toy for your child along the way. But trust me, though you may sympathize with our lonely protagonist during this dark, dark holiday ("All the Merry Christmases end up sounding fake... A retail ritual. A New Year’s nothing.") you will not see where this one is going. An often cruel and even depressing series of events begin to become ever clearer in terms of their cause and definitely more shocking as the story progresses, ending up with a devastating ending that I certainly didn't see coming. Brutal and efficient, this one will stick with me for a long time!
The day should have been filled with joy, but felt fragile instead…
"Anti-Claus" By Graham Masterton
- An extremely well-constructed folklore based tale based on the TRUE origin of Santa, but not one that anyone should have or would remember fondly. I especially think anyone from the Midwest will particularly enjoy it (no worries New Jerseyites, there's a story for you, too, and it's a doozy!). This story unfolds slowly but surely, as the history and still active curses take us ever deeper into this nightmare. I have to admit to being especially surprised at this entry as I haven't had the best "luck" with Masteron's works in the past. But this was a top-notch read amongst this set including what I thought was a very eerie and thought-provoking ending!
Santa was in the chimney… It was clear that he was dead.
"Fear Actually" By Ryan Colley
- One of the longer entries in the book which takes its own sweet time in setting things up with an ever-increasing amount of dread and tension, it is also perhaps the most aptly named. What starts off as the most normal and traditional of Christmas times for one family ("It was the usual chaos of family Christmas – imperfect, cheerful, human.") soon turns into a maelstrom of unexplainable horror and bloodshed. I mean, we know once the strange package appears - wrapped as perfect as perfect can be (even preternaturally so) - that something is very very wrong with it. What then transpires is beyond frightening as we feel the family's terror as slowly but surely loved ones are either mangled and bloodied or worse as they continue to fight with all their heart and soul to survive. This is the one story in the whole bunch that I thought would have made a great stand-alone offer if we had somehow been able to beef it up just a little. And no, I'm not talking about adding more bits of Grandma's missing terrier to the stew.
All around them, the presents and tree shuddered with malignant life.
Beyond that - and again these were just the highlights - it worked overall very well and read very quickly. HOWEVER, I was more than a little disappointed in the poor editing. Yes, as per usual, we ignore far too many basic grammar rules (can we not learn about continuing sentences with quotation marks, especially those that continue like "The magic is still here." She said. SHOULD BE WRITTEN "The magic is still here," she said.!!!) I was also really surprised that over and over again it seemed like random words wound up "glued" together ("voicerang", "hisarms", "dinnerstill", etc.), which gave the impression that the book was not well-reviewed, certainly not in its entirety. Providing more proof of same, many of the previously mentioned editing hiccups were inconsistent from story-to-story, which just said to me the collection had not been sufficiently reviewed as a whole, start-to-finish unit. Why authors of good renown should put up with that kind of "service" is beyond me. Oh well, at least the coal in the publication crew's stockings will keep them warm once they're tossed out on the streets to think about what they've done… or not done, I'm not sure…
NOTE: not all quotes line up with "their" stories, that is, from which they originated. So, um… oops?
November 8, 2025
Horror and Christmas go together like milk and cookies!
Although I have a story in this anthology I am only reviewing the other stories, not my own.
I love horror but I really love holiday horror. And Christmas seems to have the best stories. Some people think of Christmas as presents, snow, and pretty lights. But I enjoy it more when there's something dark, evil, and unexpected in the mix. Kevin Kennedy knocks it out of the park again with another edition of The Horror Collection. I loved every story in this book and really had trouble narrowing down to a few favorites, but here they are.
The Peddler’s Journey - Ronald Kelly
Wassailing Through the Mire - Dexter McLeod
The Human Advent Calendar - Iain Rob Wright
Christmas Hours - Amy Cross
You have got to read this anthology!
Veronica Smith - author of Salvation in the Wasteland, Nightmare on Indigo Street, & Chalk Outline
Although I have a story in this anthology I am only reviewing the other stories, not my own.
I love horror but I really love holiday horror. And Christmas seems to have the best stories. Some people think of Christmas as presents, snow, and pretty lights. But I enjoy it more when there's something dark, evil, and unexpected in the mix. Kevin Kennedy knocks it out of the park again with another edition of The Horror Collection. I loved every story in this book and really had trouble narrowing down to a few favorites, but here they are.
The Peddler’s Journey - Ronald Kelly
Wassailing Through the Mire - Dexter McLeod
The Human Advent Calendar - Iain Rob Wright
Christmas Hours - Amy Cross
You have got to read this anthology!
Veronica Smith - author of Salvation in the Wasteland, Nightmare on Indigo Street, & Chalk Outline
November 17, 2025
The Horror Collection Christmas Edition by Kevin J. Kennedy. He's put together stories by some of the finest horror writers today in this collection.
Santa’s patience runs thin. Try serving him tofurky, almond milk, and cookies that scream “gluten free,” and see how long the jolly act lasts. There’s always that one impossible toy on every kid's wish list… Some advent calendars hide more than just cheap chocolate; some aren’t meant to be opened at all. One poor husband lives in terror of his wife’s holiday ‘generosity’ to the family she avoids like the plague. And those presents, oh, they multiply. Like something alive. It's the Claus's 200th Anniversary, and you won't believe what celebrations they have in store for each other, and you wouldn’t wish them on your worst enemy.
These stories are what holiday nightmares are made of. Twisted, relentless, and darkly festive, this collection is not for the faint of heart or anyone hoping for a silent night. I thoroughly enjoyed the spin and darker side of these short stories.
Santa’s patience runs thin. Try serving him tofurky, almond milk, and cookies that scream “gluten free,” and see how long the jolly act lasts. There’s always that one impossible toy on every kid's wish list… Some advent calendars hide more than just cheap chocolate; some aren’t meant to be opened at all. One poor husband lives in terror of his wife’s holiday ‘generosity’ to the family she avoids like the plague. And those presents, oh, they multiply. Like something alive. It's the Claus's 200th Anniversary, and you won't believe what celebrations they have in store for each other, and you wouldn’t wish them on your worst enemy.
These stories are what holiday nightmares are made of. Twisted, relentless, and darkly festive, this collection is not for the faint of heart or anyone hoping for a silent night. I thoroughly enjoyed the spin and darker side of these short stories.
November 17, 2025
If you enjoy the horror genre and want a great read for the holiday season, you can't go wrong with this one. Anthologist Kevin J. Kennedy has done it again, collecting a set of stories that will keep you entertained.
Elf on the shelf? Got it. (Always did find that little elf creepy!) Advent calendar? A couple of those, but don't expect any chocolate. Santa goes crazy? Mrs. Claus gets her revenge? Ghost stories? Mysterious packages showing up on your doorstep? Got those too.
Anthologies always have a few great stories, a few middle of the road and one or two that are a bit meh. But, this is a great collection and perfect if you want a bit of horror this Christmas. A few of the authors were familiar to me (and enjoyed previously), but I also found a few new ones to explore.
Elf on the shelf? Got it. (Always did find that little elf creepy!) Advent calendar? A couple of those, but don't expect any chocolate. Santa goes crazy? Mrs. Claus gets her revenge? Ghost stories? Mysterious packages showing up on your doorstep? Got those too.
Anthologies always have a few great stories, a few middle of the road and one or two that are a bit meh. But, this is a great collection and perfect if you want a bit of horror this Christmas. A few of the authors were familiar to me (and enjoyed previously), but I also found a few new ones to explore.
November 13, 2025
Is the weather still too warm? Chill out with this collection!
Did you see that list of authors in this collection? If not here you go!
Ronald Kelly, Lindsay Crook, Dexter McLeod, Milan Kovačević, Viggy Parr Hampton, Glenn Rolfe , Devin Cabrera, Graham Masterton, Ryan Colley, Lisa Morton, Brad Ricks, Iain Rob Wright, David Moody, Veronica Smith, Amy Cross & James Newman.
All of these authors delivered fantastic Christmas stories. This is by far the best collection I have read in many years.
As always, when Kevin J. Kennedy says he has a new collection, you need to grab the book. He has many to choose from.
Did you see that list of authors in this collection? If not here you go!
Ronald Kelly, Lindsay Crook, Dexter McLeod, Milan Kovačević, Viggy Parr Hampton, Glenn Rolfe , Devin Cabrera, Graham Masterton, Ryan Colley, Lisa Morton, Brad Ricks, Iain Rob Wright, David Moody, Veronica Smith, Amy Cross & James Newman.
All of these authors delivered fantastic Christmas stories. This is by far the best collection I have read in many years.
As always, when Kevin J. Kennedy says he has a new collection, you need to grab the book. He has many to choose from.
November 13, 2025
The Horror Collection: Christmas Edition created by KJK is filled with holiday theme horrors. I’m not a big Christmas kinda girl but horror oh yes please. Christmas tends to really creep in on the holidays this time of year, but what a frightfully fun way to let it creep it’s way in and start the season off with bone chilling scares and blood curling screams. So grab a cup of cheer and snuggle in with the lights out by the fire and let the horror joys play out in each of those nightmare fueled terrors.
December 17, 2025
Most of these stories are total rubbish. I give it two stars only because ot includes one very good story: Christmas Hours by Amy Cross. The rest of the book isn't worth a single star.
This collection of short stories has saved the best one for last. Skip ahead to Amy Cross.
This collection of short stories has saved the best one for last. Skip ahead to Amy Cross.
November 17, 2025
Christmas and Horror, a match made in Hell. Grab a blanket and a mug of hot chocolate and settle down for a rollicking evening of horror, but leave lots of lights on!
December 12, 2025
Holiday horror fans, grab Kevin J Kennedy Presents The Horror Collection: Christmas Edition to kick off your holiday reading this year! This was SO much fun to dive into. As always, there’s such a great variety of horror here. But there's one tale... If there’s one tale to read this holiday season, Christmas Hours by Amy Cross is it.
Check out my full review here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/the-h...
Check out my full review here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/the-h...
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