It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Regular, everyday people who normally pose no threat to society come out in droves to trample over one another to be the first in line at Best Buy on Black Friday. Normal, good people turn ravenous in the face of dollar sales signs, throwing elbows into the ribs of strangers in the pursuit of the perfect massively marked down purchase. Tired patrons pull out their depleted wallets, groaning with the realization at exactly how much money they’re spending on people they don’t even bother speaking to outside of mandatory holiday meetings. By the time the big day rolls around, and it’s time for Old St. Nick to come down the chimney, the whole family is so exhausted and sick of one another that they’re closer to coming to blows than holding hands and singing Yuletide carols. It seems that the spirit of the season has almost completely dissolved in the overwhelming demand of consumerism, as greed, apathy, technology and bullying have fazed out love, appreciation, mercy and sacrifice.

That’s why, on December 23rd, just a few sleeps before the man in red pays his annual visit, a little boy named Max tears up his letter to Santa and tosses it out the window into the snow-covered night, igniting a coal-sparked fuse that accidentally calls on the wrong holiday icon, and instead, sends Krampus on his merry way.

Wrapped in chains, crowned with large pointy horns and smelling of soot from the fiery pits of hell, Krampus stands erect on his enormous black hooves, carrying a bag full of animated noel characters in one claw, and a swatch to strike small children in the other. He is the shadow of Saint Nicholas, the one who comes not to reward, but to punish. Older even than Christmas itself, the goat-like demon of the holiday season has dragged naughty children back to hell with him from all corners of the globe for thousands of years, but tonight, it is little Max’s call that he will answer, and it is Max’s family that he will punish. Now, Krampus and his critters are headed to Max’s house, and though they may have just been at each others’ throats just a few hours prior, it’s now up to Max, Omi, his sister Beth, mother Sarah, father Tom, Uncle Howard, Aunt Linda, Great Aunt Dorothy, Howie Jr., Stevie, Jordy, and their little bulldog Rosie to overcome their differences, band together, and save the day.

All together, it may appear that this large family stands a chance against the evil spirits of the dark side of the season, but when it’s just the twelve of them barricaded up in a house with no electricity and a lack of weapons against a hell beast and his minions, it seems that now, more than ever, it will be a challenge to survive the holidays.

KRAMPUS | via Universal Pictures

In his follow-up to the 2007 cult Halloween-themed hit, Trick ‘r Treat, writer/director Michael Dougherty proves once again that he is the master of holiday horror movies. Just as Trick ‘r Treat became a go-to favorite during the month of October for genre fans, Krampus is sure to become a default film for cinephiles who are looking for something a little darker to watch in the midst of all of the festivities.

Whereas Trick ‘r Treat is a hard R rating, with a playful take that captures the essence of Halloween and is clearly made for adults, Dougherty’s latest entry feels more aimed towards families with children. More along the lines of Gremlins, Krampus is a horror comedy with toned down violence and language, that seeks not to take a stab at the holiday by exploiting its merit, but rather, that seeks to rejoice in tradition by stressing the importance of love and sacrifice during the annual season of gift giving. In its own way, this film speaks out against an indifferent world that feels more detached every December.

Simply put: Just because Michael Dougherty made a Christmas movie about a demon, doesn’t mean he hates Christmas. It’s actually quite the opposite. Dougherty made this movie to remind people about the real meaning of the holiday spirit, which isn’t about racking up as many goodies as possible from your loved ones, but actually taking time to show them that you care, too.

It’s when people forget about the true meaning of Christmas that Krampus descends — well, at least according to Dougherty. Mostly faithful to the lore that dates back to 2000 BCE, Dougherty shows he’s done his research, while also bending the established facts about the mystical creature just enough to get his point across. Adults will certainly enjoy the hilarity that ensues when military man Uncle Howard (David Koechner) delivers one of his hardened lines, and kids will shriek with terror and joy at the sight of the looming, skillfully crafted Krampus, and his sinister holiday friends.

If parents feel comfortable bringing their youngsters along to the theater, this scary little PG-13 peek into the frightening ancient mythology of the German demon is an excellent way to spend the first week of December. Those who plan to attend Krampus will get to share a few jumps and laughs with their family, and, most importantly, they’ll be happily and willingly participating in an activity together during the most cherished time of the year, just as director Dougherty intended.