25 Gifts of Terror
A collection of twenty-five short horror stories structured as an advent calendar for the Christmas season.
This volume functions as a seasonal countdown, delivering one distinct nightmare each night from the start of December through Christmas Eve. The framing device relies on employment instructions for a security officer at a theme park dedicated to Santa Claus. These rules create a framework of forbidden actions and dangerous entities that permeate every chapter. Bacic uses this structure to explore how familiar holiday locations like bakeries and toy factories can become sites of supernatural horror. The progression allows the reader to accumulate fear over time, culminating in a final story on Christmas Day. This approach differs from standard anthologies by tying the release schedule directly to the holiday calendar. It appeals to audiences who prefer bite-sized scares and enjoy deconstructing cultural icons.
The book is published in 2025 by Boris Bacic. It utilizes the Western tradition of an advent calendar, mapping twenty-five days of storytelling onto the period leading up to Christmas Day. The setting relies on the cultural iconography of Santa Claus and his workshop.
📝 Description: 25 Gifts of Terror
💎 Our verdict on 25 Gifts of Terror
📖 Why choose it
Why this book is worth reading
Readers who enjoy bite-sized scares and the deconstruction of cultural icons will find significant value in this unique narrative structure. The book appeals to those who prefer episodic terror over continuous arcs, offering a distinct nightmare each night from early December through Christmas Eve. By framing the horror within the strict survival rules of a security officer at Santa Park, Bacic builds tension methodically. This approach suits audiences who appreciate atmospheric dread tied to the winter season and enjoy juxtaposing cheerful holiday symbols with dark supernatural elements. It is ideal for those seeking a seasonal countdown that accumulates fear over time rather than traditional festive cheer.
⭐ Reader reviews
Reader rating
Boris Bacic delivers a compelling exercise in atmospheric dread by subverting familiar Christmas traditions into sources of terror. The framing device of employment instructions for a night guard at Santa Park effectively grounds the supernatural elements, making the horror feel immediate and perilous. The structure allows fear to accumulate over twenty-five days, culminating in a final event on Christmas Day that caps off the progression. This method works well for readers who enjoy deconstructing cultural icons and prefer bite-sized scares. While it may not satisfy those seeking continuous narrative arcs or traditional festive cheer, it succeeds as a specific seasonal horror experience that transforms bakeries and toy factories into sites of dread.
📖 Read on the blog
✍️ More books by this author Boris Bacic
🏛 Books from this publisher Boris Bacic
You might also like
See more →
Have a question about this item?
Ask about the edition, condition, delivery or anything else — we reply by email or phone, usually within a day.
