each major holiday has its own world. In Halloween Town, Jack Skellington is the Pumpkin King, but he’s getting tired of this.

One day, while wandering, Jack comes across the doors to the other holidays and is fascinated by Christmas Town. Jack becomes determined to improve Christmas in a Halloween-like way, but his plan gets out of control when the boogeyman himself, Oogie Boogie (Ken Page), takes Santa Claus with him. Jack’s plan to take over 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 has tried to take over Christmas, but he succeeded where the most famous Christmas hater couldn’t.

The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Jack Skellington Actually Stole Christmas

Jack Skellington Did What The Grinch Tried & Failed To

Over three decades before the world met Jack Skellington in The Nightmare Before Christmas, it was introduced to the Grinch in Dr. Seuss’ 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 green, cranky, bitter, solitary creature with a heart two sizes too small lives on a mountain overlooking Whoville, and he has hated Christmas since he was young. Annoyed by the noise of the Whos’ festivities, the Grinch decides to steal Christmas from them.

Realizing his plan didn’t succeed and that Christmas isn’t about presents and parties, the Grinch understands the true meaning of Christmas.

Dressed as Santa Claus, the Grinch steals the presents from every house in Whoville, and just as he prepares to dump them into an abyss, he hears the Whos singing Christmas songs while holding hands. Realizing his plan didn’t succeed and that Christmas isn’t about presents and parties, the Grinch understands the true meaning of Christmas. The Grinch’s heart grows three sizes, and he returns all the presents, food, and more, and is invited to celebrate with them. The Grinch didn’t steal Christmas, but Jack Skellington did.

Even if Jack’s plan was to “improve” Christmas, he ended up taking over it and pretty much stealing it. Jack abducted Santa Claus, dressed like him, and delivered presents in the real world posing as Santa, but his presents were terrifying – basically, they were stuff that someone from Halloween Town would give as presents. Jack spreads terror after taking Christmas away from humans, and even the military intervenes to try to take Jack down. Jack achieved what the Grinch couldn’t, though his motivations were completely different, and the results were absolutely chaotic.

Tim Burton Planned Jack Skellington As A Reverse Grinch (& It Worked)

Jack Skellington Has A Lot In Common With The Grinch

Jack achieving what the Grinch couldn’t isn’t a coincidence, as Tim Burton had the Grinch in mind when creating Jack. In The Making of The Nightmare Before Christmas, Burton himself explains that Jack is a reverse Grinch, as, 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 all he knows is Halloween. Perhaps this is why Jack succeeded in stealing Christmas, as he did it from a place of love, though a very chaotic one.

Jack’s intentions were good and he wanted to spread joy with a spooky dose, but the execution of his plan was terrible, while the Grinch wanted to make the Whos cry and feel terrible without Christmas. In the end, both Jack and the Grinch understand what makes Christmas so special and that it’s perfect the way it is, but the former is the one who truly stole Christmas.

Source: The Making Of The Nightmare Before Christmas.