‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ is a Thanksgiving movie
October 29, 2021
The first time I watched “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” I had a revelation: it’s not a Halloween movie, and it’s not a Christmas movie either.
Even though the movie circulates around Halloween and Christmas, it truly takes place in a time between the two.
That really only leaves one option: “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a Thanksgiving movie.
There is a debate over when is the proper time to watch this Tim Burton flick.
Technically, this movie can be watched at any time of the year due to the broad range of holidays referenced; however, the combination of Halloween and Christmas elements means it suits a Thanksgiving viewing perfectly.
Watching “The Nightmare Before Christmas” around Thanksgiving allows the viewer to reflect on the fond memories and vibes of Halloween while simultaneously putting the viewer in a festive mood in preparation for the Christmas season.
It is the perfect movie to watch to say goodbye to All Hallows’ Eve and welcome in the spirit of Saint Nick.
Thanksgiving has a startling lack of media compared to other holidays.
I can only think of “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” and that one section in “Addams Family Values.”
Beyond that, the standard screening is football, which can be enjoyable, but gets boring after a while and lacks the engaging plot and complex characters movies have.
“The Nightmare Before Christmas” beautifully fills this gap for Thanksgiving media.
It also gives us a movie to enjoy during the Thanksgiving season that doesn’t celebrate the colonialism the holiday is founded on.
At the end of the movie, Jack Skellington realizes how good he has it and how happy he is with his life.
This reflection is exactly how we see Thanksgiving, as a time to give thanks for the good things in our lives.
If Jack had gone down the Thanksgiving portal instead of the Christmas one, I think he would agree with me that he belongs with Thanksgiving instead.
If others are disappointed by the lack of Thanksgiving media and are looking for new traditions to enjoy during turkey season, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” should be at the top of the list.
This year, instead of sitting around pretending to enjoy the endless sports and reruns of sitcom episodes, I’m already looking forward to my annual Thanksgiving screening of “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”