'Bah! Humbug!' A Definitive List of the 12 Greatest Christmas Movie Villains of All Time

Mar. 15, 2025

From left: Martin Short in 2006’s ‘The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause’; Jim Carrey in 2000’s ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’; Oogie Boogie in 1993’s ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’.Photo:Joseph Lederer/Walt Disney Prod/Buena Vista/Kobal/Shutterstock; Ron Batzdorff/Universal/THA/Shutterstock; Touchstone Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty

Joseph Lederer/Walt Disney Prod/Buena Vista/Kobal/Shutterstock; Ron Batzdorff/Universal/THA/Shutterstock; Touchstone Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty

AGrinchand a Scrooge and an abominable snowman! Oh my!Who knew such villains could exist during the most wonderful time of the year? Believe it or not, between sipping delicious eggnog and hot cocoa and enjoying the joy of Yuletide with family and friends, there are still naughty killjoys afoot during Christmastime — the worst of which appear in some of thebest holiday films.From a green fur-covered grump threatening to steal Christmas (and your presents!) to a cute but cunning bully hiding amongSanta Claus’s adorable reindeer, here are 12 of the best Christmas movie villains to grace the screen that you hate to love or love to hate.

AGrinchand a Scrooge and an abominable snowman! Oh my!

Who knew such villains could exist during the most wonderful time of the year? Believe it or not, between sipping delicious eggnog and hot cocoa and enjoying the joy of Yuletide with family and friends, there are still naughty killjoys afoot during Christmastime — the worst of which appear in some of thebest holiday films.

From a green fur-covered grump threatening to steal Christmas (and your presents!) to a cute but cunning bully hiding amongSanta Claus’s adorable reindeer, here are 12 of the best Christmas movie villains to grace the screen that you hate to love or love to hate.

01of 10

Mr. Potter fromIt’s a Wonderful Life

Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter in 1946’s ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’.Courtesy Everett Collection

Henry F. Potter (Lionel Barrymore) isn’t just one of the greatest Christmas bad guys of all time; he’s ranked No. 6 on theAmerican Film Institute’s listof the 50 greatest villains in American film history.

The main antagonist of Frank Capra’s 1946 classicIt’s a Wonderful Life, Potter is the rich, curmudgeonly old slumlord of the fictional town of Bedford Falls, N.Y., who refuses to giveJames Stewart’s George Bailey a much-needed holiday loan.

02of 10

Oogie Boogie fromThe Nightmare Before Christmas

This terrifying potato sack full of worms puts the nightmare inTim Burton’s 1993 stop-motion animated filmThe Nightmare Before Christmas.

03of 10

Scut Farkus fromA Christmas Story

Zack Ward as Scut Farkus in 1983’s ‘A Christmas Story’.MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection

Along with his bully buddy Grover Dill (Yano Anaya), Scut Farkus (Zack Ward) terrorizes young Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) and his friends in 1983’sA Christmas Story. With his yellowy eyes, sadistic laugh and coonskin hat, Farkus looked every bit the villain in this childhood favorite.

Of course, fans eventually get the satisfaction of watching Ralphie give Farkus a taste of his own medicine — a fact the now-grown-up actor who played the bully is never allowed to forget.

04of 10

Comet and the Abominable Snow Monster fromRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Videocraft International, Ltd.

05of 10Hans Gruber fromDie HardAlan Rickman as Hans Gruber in 1988’s ‘Die Hard’.20th Century Fox/Kobal/REX/ShutterstockTheultimate Christmas action moviegot the villain it deserved inAlan Rickman’sHans Gruberfrom 1988’sDie Hard. In one of his most memorable roles, the late actor — whodied at 69in 2016 — played a German master terrorist who takes a Los Angeles holiday office party hostage in a plot to steal $640 million in bearer bonds.Gruber meets his end at the hands of John McClane (Bruce Willis), a shoeless New York City detective who wipes out his entire squad of machine-gun-toting terrorists, saving his estranged wife and her co-workers in the process.

05of 10

Hans Gruber fromDie Hard

Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber in 1988’s ‘Die Hard’.20th Century Fox/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock

Theultimate Christmas action moviegot the villain it deserved inAlan Rickman’sHans Gruberfrom 1988’sDie Hard. In one of his most memorable roles, the late actor — whodied at 69in 2016 — played a German master terrorist who takes a Los Angeles holiday office party hostage in a plot to steal $640 million in bearer bonds.

Gruber meets his end at the hands of John McClane (Bruce Willis), a shoeless New York City detective who wipes out his entire squad of machine-gun-toting terrorists, saving his estranged wife and her co-workers in the process.

06of 10

Ted Maltin fromJingle All the Way

Despite his constant overtures toward Liz as Howard fights to find his son the Turbo Man doll, she eventually turns him down with a very satisfying cup of eggnog to the face.

07of 10

Harry and Marv fromHome Alone

Daniel Stern as Marv and Joe Pesci as Harry in 1992’s ‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York’.SNAP/REX/Shutterstock

08of 10The Grinch fromHow the Grinch Stole ChristmasJim Carrey as the Grinch in 2000’s ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’.Ron Batzdorff/Imagine Ent/Kobal/REX/ShutterstockThis fuzzy green hermit has become synonymous with Christmas-hating curmudgeons and greedy holiday buzzkills worldwide sinceDr. Seussintroduced him in his 1957 children’s book of the same name.Suffering from a chronic case of small heart, the Grinch (Jim Carrey) and his pet dog, Max, conspire to steal all the presents from the citizens of Whoville in the 2000 Christmas fantasy comedy. When the happy Whos celebrate Christmas morning anyway, the Grinch realizes there is more to Christmas than gifts, and his shriveled heart miraculously grows three full sizes.Despite his literal change of heart, the Grinch continues to symbolize holiday party poopers everywhere.

08of 10

The Grinch fromHow the Grinch Stole Christmas

Jim Carrey as the Grinch in 2000’s ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’.Ron Batzdorff/Imagine Ent/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock

This fuzzy green hermit has become synonymous with Christmas-hating curmudgeons and greedy holiday buzzkills worldwide sinceDr. Seussintroduced him in his 1957 children’s book of the same name.

Suffering from a chronic case of small heart, the Grinch (Jim Carrey) and his pet dog, Max, conspire to steal all the presents from the citizens of Whoville in the 2000 Christmas fantasy comedy. When the happy Whos celebrate Christmas morning anyway, the Grinch realizes there is more to Christmas than gifts, and his shriveled heart miraculously grows three full sizes.

Despite his literal change of heart, the Grinch continues to symbolize holiday party poopers everywhere.

09of 10

Ebenezer Scrooge fromA Christmas Carol

George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge in 1984’s ‘A Christmas Carol’.CBS/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock

OG Christmas hater Ebenezer Scrooge’s reign of holiday terror goes back nearly 200 years to Charles Dickens' 1843 novella,A Christmas Carol.

His name has become the very definition of miserliness, and even his favorite anti-Christmas catchphrase, “Bah! Humbug!” has become infamous despite it only appearing twice in the entire story.

10of 10Jack Frost inThe Santa Clause 3: The Escape ClauseMartin Short as Jack Frost in 2006’s ‘The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause’.Joseph Lederer/Walt Disney Prod/Buena Vista/Kobal/ShutterstockJack Frost has had many interactions in cinema, but none have been as clever asMartin Short’s icy interpretation in 2006’sThe Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause.In the thirdSanta Clausefilm, Frost uses his cold charisma to seize the North Pole, tricking Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) into wishing he’d never worn Santa’s red-and-white suit in the first place. This cunning act changes not only the timeline but also the dynamic of Scott’s family.Turning Santa’s little helpers into unhappy amusement park workers and his reindeer into petting zoo attractions, Frost is as selfish and sinister as they come — but not for long. Much like the Grinch, his ice-cold heart is thawed in the warmth only the Christmas spirit can bring.

10of 10

Jack Frost inThe Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause

Martin Short as Jack Frost in 2006’s ‘The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause’.Joseph Lederer/Walt Disney Prod/Buena Vista/Kobal/Shutterstock

Joseph Lederer/Walt Disney Prod/Buena Vista/Kobal/Shutterstock

Jack Frost has had many interactions in cinema, but none have been as clever asMartin Short’s icy interpretation in 2006’sThe Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause.

In the thirdSanta Clausefilm, Frost uses his cold charisma to seize the North Pole, tricking Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) into wishing he’d never worn Santa’s red-and-white suit in the first place. This cunning act changes not only the timeline but also the dynamic of Scott’s family.

Turning Santa’s little helpers into unhappy amusement park workers and his reindeer into petting zoo attractions, Frost is as selfish and sinister as they come — but not for long. Much like the Grinch, his ice-cold heart is thawed in the warmth only the Christmas spirit can bring.

source: people.com