With Halloween around the corner, many people enjoy the tradition of watching the Tim Burton classic The Nightmare Before Christmas. In this movie, Jack Skellington “The Pumpkin King” discovers Christmas and attempts to do it himself. It is a simple premise, yet people consider it a masterpiece. However, there is a time when we must ask ourselves, is this a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie?

Some people believe that the movie is more suited for Halloween. Senior Brianna Foster says, “A large majority of the film takes place in the Halloween land, and there is more dark imagery than the bright, cheery imagery we are accustomed to at Christmas time. It’s a great movie for both seasons, but I think it definitely works more towards Halloween.” According to Senior Grace Faulhaber ,“The characters are more Halloween like, and it’s spooky.” It could also have something to do with the release date, as Junior Lauren O’Hara says, “It was released on October 13, and since that’s closer to Halloween, it’s a Halloween movie.”

However, there are also people who would say The Nightmare Before Christmas is more of a festive winter holiday film. “It has the word ‘Christmas,’” says Senior Janet Liu. Senior Colleen Stack says, “It’s a Christmas movie because Jack Skellington wanted to spread Christmas cheer and not continue the typical Halloween routine they do every year.”

Whether it’s viewed as a Halloween or Christmas movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas is a classic to enjoy with friends and family. Check out the Freeform schedule for 31 nights of Halloween on 119 on Fios or 49 on Optimum.