“The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a beloved classic, but the debate over whether it’s a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie continues to rage. The fact that people believe it can be a Christmas movie is truly frightening, though.

From the spooky architecture to the monstrous inhabitants, Halloween Town is a place where every day is Halloween. The movie even opens with the song “This is Halloween”. 

The title of the movie itself shows what genre of film it is meant to be in: it’s the nightmare before Christmas, which summarizes the essence of the film’s premise. “Nightmare” evokes a sense of fear, darknes, and surrealism, hinting at the spooky and eerie elements prevalent throughout the story. “Before Christmas” suggests that the events depicted in the movie occur in the lead-up to Christmas, emphasizing the timing of the narrative and setting the stage for the clash between the Halloween and Christmas worlds. 

In addition, the central conflict of the film revolves around Jack’s attempt to take over Christmas and put his own spooky spin on it. These misguided efforts result in chaos and confusion, with disastrous consequences for both Halloween Town and Christmas Town. 

The movie’s iconic imagery, including Jack’s skeletal reindeer and the menacing Oogie Boogie, are firmly rooted in the aesthetic surrounding Halloween. Even the film’s tone, with its dark humor and gruesome visuals, aligns more closely with the spooky atmosphere of Halloween rather than the warm, fuzzy feelings typically associated with Christmas movies.

When Jack Skellington stumbles into Christmas Town, it’s clear that his fascination with the holiday stems from its novelty and the stark contrast it provides to his own world of darkness and fright.

Most importantly, the movie came out Oct. 29, 1993, literally two days before Halloween. That doesn’t sound very Christmas-like to me. And, if we’re getting technical, Halloween is said 56 times, whereas the word Christmas is said only 30 times. 

While “The Nightmare Before Christmas” may feature elements of both Halloween and Christmas, its heart and soul belong to the spooky season. From its setting and themes to its characters and tone, everything about the film shrieks Halloween.