Maybe I’m missing something, but I personally think that a Christmas special should be about filling the audience with the holiday spirit, making them feel grateful for family & and friends, and I dunno, maybe joyful? Instead, some of the ones we grew up with just leave us with nightmares, a looming sense of existential dread, and even a nightmare or two.
The world is already scary enough, and it’s dark and cold outside. Why torture us with demons, questions about mortality, and make us wish we never even heard of Rudolph and The Little Drummer Boy.