The Nightmare Before Christmas' Jack Did What This 67-Year-Old Classic Character Couldn't

The Nightmare Before Christmas tells the story of Jack Skellington (voiced by Chris Sarandon) and his plan to “improve” Halloween in his own way, and thanks to that, he achieved what a 67-year-old classic character couldn't. In 1993, Tim Burton brought the perfect story for Halloween and Christmas in the stop-motion animated film The Nightmare Before Christmas. Directed by Henry Selick with a story by Tim Burton, The Nightmare Before Christmas takes audiences to a fantasy world where each major holiday has its own world. In Halloween Town, Jack Skellington is the Pumpkin King, but he's getting tired of it.

One day, while wandering, Jack comes across the gates of the other holidays and becomes fascinated by Christmas Town. Jack becomes determined to improve Christmas in a similar way to Halloween, But his plan goes out of control when the boogeyman himself, Oogie Boogie (Ken Page), takes Santa Claus with him. Jack's plan to take control of Christmas succeeds, but in the worst way and, on top of that, he has to face Oogie Boogie. Jack isn't the only character who's tried to take over Christmas, but he's succeeded where the most famous Christmas hater couldn't.

The Nightmare Before Christmas' Jack Skellington Really Stole Christmas

Jack Skellington did what the Grinch tried and failed

More than three decades before the world met Jack Skellington in The Nightmare Before Christmaswas introduced to the Grinch in Dr. Seuss's children's book How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. The story takes place in the town of Whoville, as all its inhabitants prepare for Christmas – except the Grinch. This grumpy, bitter, lonely green creature with a heart two sizes too small lives on a mountain overlooking Whoville and has hated Christmas since he was young. Annoyed by the noise of the Whos' festivities, the Grinch decides to steal Christmas from them.

Dressed as Santa Claus, the Grinch steals presents from every house in Whoville and, just as he is preparing to throw them into the abyss, he hears Whos singing Christmas carols holding hands. Realizing that his plan didn't work and that Christmas isn't just presents and parties, the Grinch understands the true meaning of Christmas. The Grinch's heart grows three times larger and he returns all the gifts, food and more, and is invited to celebrate with them. The Grinch didn't steal Christmas, but Jack Skellington did.

Even though Jack's plan was to “improve” Christmas, he ended up taking control and practically stealing it. Jack kidnapped Santa Claus, dressed up like him, and delivered gifts in the real world posing as Santa Claus, but his gifts were scary – basically, they were things someone from Halloween Town would give as gifts. Jack spreads terror after taking Christmas away from humans, and even the military intervenes to try to take Jack down. Jack accomplished what the Grinch couldn't, even though his motivations were completely differentand the results were absolutely chaotic.

Tim Burton planned Jack Skellington as a reverse Grinch (and it worked)

Jack Skellington has a lot in common with the Grinch

Jack achieving what the Grinch couldn't is not a coincidence, because Tim Burton had the Grinch in mind when creating Jack. In The production of The Nightmare Before ChristmasBurton himself explains that Jack is a reverse Grinch, because, unlike the famous green creature, Jack loves Christmas, and he loves it so much that he wants to experience the holiday – the problem is that he doesn't know how, as he only knows about Halloween. Maybe that's why Jack was able to steal Christmas, because he made it from a place of love, albeit a very chaotic one.

Jack's intentions were good and he wanted to spread joy with a scary dose, but the execution of his plan was terrible, while the Grinch wanted to make the Whos cry and feel terrible without Christmas. At the end, Both Jack and the Grinch understand what makes Christmas so special and that it's perfect the way it is, but the first one is who really stole Christmas.

Source: The production of The Nightmare Before Christmas.