Is the “Nightmare Before Christmas” a Christmas movie, or Halloween movie? In 1982 Tim Burton’s love for holidays and a short poem he wrote inspired him to make “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” On October 9, 1993 the movie premiered at a festival in New York,  and later on October 25 1993, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” was released in the USA.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a Halloween movie because of the aesthetic, the setting, some of the character designs (such as a ghost dog, a skeleton, a doll mummy, a brain doctor, ect.)

But, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is more of a Christmas movie because of the plot. Jack Skeleton was getting bored of Halloween, so later he finds doors to different holidays and discovers Christmas Town. Jack becomes obsessed with Christmas and takes over the holiday by kidnapping Santa and delivering terrifying gifts to children. After he failed to be Santa, he realizes his mistake. With the help of Sally, he rescues Santa from Oogie Boogie and returns Chritsmas to Christmas Town. Jack goes back to Halloweentown, and becomes the Pumpkin king with a new love of Halloween, and falls in love with Sally.

Looking at the plot it’s basically a Christmas movie. Most of the plot revolves around Christmas. Sure there’s Halloween themes, but at its core it’s a Christmas movie. In addition to that, Jack attempts to take over Christmas, and the movie was set in the middle of Chritsmas. 

Co-Director Henry Selick also said that it was more of a Christmas movie than a Halloween movie. “Thirty years after I directed the film, beneath its candy corn coating, skeletons and vampires, corpse child and witches, I know ‘Nightmare’ at its heart is a Christmas movie.”

In conclusion, I can safely say Nightmare Before Christmas is a Christmas movie.