The holiday season is all about heartwarming moments, hot chocolate, cheesy romance, and other cozy Christmas movies that somehow never get old. But if you're looking to spice things up this year, why not try something a little more thrilling?

Christmas thrillers still provide plenty of Christmas fun. These films not only get you in the Christmas spirit, but also keep you on the edge of your seat with their unexpected twists and crazy humor.

Whether it's Santa Claus becoming an unlikely action hero or an unexpected home invasion (not “Home Alone”), holiday thrillers prove there's more than one way to enjoy the season. So here are five of the best Christmas thriller movies available right now on the best streaming services.

“Violent Night” is one of the Christmas thrillers I will watch every December. It is an action-packed thriller in which a group of mercenaries led by the villainous Scrooge, played by John Leguizamo, break into the mansion of the millionaire Lightstone family and take them hostage to steal millions of dollars from their safe.

Unexpectedly, Santa Claus (David Harbour) himself gets involved while delivering presents. But this Santa is not your typical jolly gift giver, but a tough, no-prisoner hero with a mysterious past. Determined to save his kidnapped family, especially the young and spirited Trudy Lightstone (Leah Brady), Santa uses his fighting skills to defeat the mercenaries in a gory and ingenious way.

Watch on Starz

“Better Watch Out” is a darkly comedic psycho-thriller set in a seemingly idyllic suburb during the Christmas season. The main character is Ashley (Olivia DeJonge), a teenage babysitter who is assigned to take care of 12-year-old Luke (Levi Miller) while his parents are out of town.

Luke has a crush on Ashley and plans to use the night to confess it. However, their quiet night takes a sinister turn when they believe an intruder is trying to break into their home. What begins as a home invasion thriller takes an unexpected and chilling turn as the truth about the night's events is revealed. A truly clever and disturbing film that will keep you guessing until the very end.

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“Black Christmas” is, of course, a classic slasher thriller set during the holiday season. The setting is a clubhouse for young women preparing for the Christmas vacations. However, their festive plans are interrupted when they begin receiving disturbing and obscene phone calls from an anonymous stalker.

Things escalate when one of the sorority sisters goes missing. Unbeknownst to the other sisters, a mysterious killer has been hiding in the attic of their house, killing them one by one. The film follows the strong-willed protagonist Jess (Olivia Hussey) as she attempts to unravel the mystery while dealing with her own personal issues, including a strained relationship with her boyfriend.

Watch on Prime Video

“The Lodge” is a psychological thriller that revolves around Grace (Riley Keough), who becomes the stepmother of two children, Aidan (Jaden Martel) and Mia (Leah McHugh). Grieving their mother's death, the children resent Grace and are suspicious of her past as the sole survivor of a cult that caused a mass suicide.

In an attempt to bond, Grace, Aidan, and Mia spend Christmas vacation at a secluded lodge. Their father leaves them alone to return to work, but things take a dark turn when a snowstorm traps them and cuts off their contact with the outside world. Soon Grace begins to lose touch with reality, both by her traumatic past and by the increasingly bizarre behavior of her children. It's the perfect modern take on the holiday thriller genre.

Buy or Rent on Amazon

If you're looking for something a little more comedic, look no further than Fat Man. This gritty action thriller stars Mel Gibson as the disillusioned Kris Kringle, better known as Santa Claus. Struggling to keep his business afloat as the Christmas spirit wanes and business declines, Chris reluctantly enters into a government contract to earn a living.

Meanwhile, Billy Wenan (Chance Hurstfield), a spoiled, vengeful boy, hires professional hit man Jonathan Miller (Walton Goggins) to assassinate Santa when he receives a lump of coal for Christmas. Miller tracks Chris to a remote workshop in Alaska. But Santa is no ordinary target. He is used to fighting, armed, and more than capable of defending himself and his operation.

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