The Nightmare Before Christmas tells the story of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, who is dissatisfied with his yearly routine. He discovers Christmas Town and becomes obsessed with the idea of “improving” the holiday in his own way.
Unlike the Grinch from Dr. Seuss’s classic book, Jack is not driven by a dislike of Christmas, but by his enthusiasm for the holiday. In fact, the film’s director, Tim Burton, has stated that Jack Skellington is a reverse Grinch – he loves Christmas and wants to experience it, even if his methods are unorthodox.
Jack’s plan to take over Christmas involves stealing Santa Claus and replacing him with himself. He then delivers presents, but not in the classical sense – his gifts are terrifying and chaotic, sending humans into a panic.
While the Grinch eventually realizes that Christmas is more than just presents and decorations, Jack’s plan does not stop until he realizes that Christmas is not the same when it’s experienced in his own way.
The article concludes that despite his motivations being different from the Grinch’s, Jack succeeds in stealing Christmas in a way that is more impactful than the Grinch ever could. Despite ultimately understanding the true meaning of Christmas, Jack’s love for the holiday is clouded by his own ambitions, and he is responsible for disrupting the holiday’s original purpose.