It was late one fall in Halloweenland and the air had quite a chill,
Against the moon a skeleton sat alone upon a hill.
He was tall and thin, with a bat bowtie, Jack Skellington,
He was tied and bored, in Halloweenland everything was always the same.
"I'm sick of the scaring, the terror, the fright.
I'm tired of being something that goes bump in the night.
I'm bored with leering my horrible glances
And my feet hurt from dancing those skeleton dances.
I don't like graveyards, and I need something new.
There must be more to life that just yelling 'Boo'."
Then out from a grave, with a curl and a twist,
Came a whimpering, whining spectral mist.
It was a little ghost dog with a feint little bark
And a jack-o-lantern nose that glowed in the dark.
It was Jack's dog Zero, the best friend he had,
But Jack hardly noticed, which made Zero sad.
All that night and through the next day
Jack wandered and walked, he was filled with dismay.
Then deep in the forest, just before night,
Jack came upon an amazing sight.
Not twenty feet from the spot where he stood
Were three massive doorways carved in wood.
He stood before them completely in awe,
His gaze transfixed by one special door.
Entranced and excited, with a slight sense of worry,
Jack opened the door to a white windy flurry.
Jack didn't know it, but he'd fallen down
In the middle of a place called Christmastown.
Immersed in the light Jack was no longer haunted,
He had finally found what he wanted.
And so that his friends wouldn't think him a liar,
He took the present-filled stockings that hung by the fire.
He took candy and toys that were stacked on the shelves,
And a picture of Santa and all of his elves.
He took lights, and ornements, and the star from the tree,
And from the "Christmastown" Sign he took the big letter C.
He picked up everything that sparkled or glowed,
He even picked up a handful of snow.
He grabbed it all, and without being seen
He took it all back to Halloween.
Back in Halloween a group of Jack's peers
Stares in amazement at his Christmas souvenirs.
For this wonderous vision none were prepared,
Most were excited, though a few were quite scared.
For the next few days, while it lightened and thundered
Jack sat alone and obsessively wondered:
"Why is it they get to spread laughter and cheer
While we stalk the graveyards spreading panic and fear?
Well, I, I could be Santa and I could spread cheer,
Why does he get to do it year after year?"
Outraged by injustice Jack thought and he thought,
Then he got an idea: "Yes, yes, why not?"
In Christmastown Santa was making some toys
When through the din he heard a soft noise.
He answered the door and to his surprise
He saw weird little creatures in strange disguise.
They were all together ugly and rather petite,
As they opened their sacks they yelled: "Trick or treat!"
Then a confused Santa was shoved into a sack
And taken to Halloween to see Mastermind Jack.
In Halloween everyone gathered once more,
For they've never seen a Santa before.
And as they cautiously gazed at this strange old man,
Jack related to Santa his masterful plan.
"My dear mister Claus, I think it's a crime
That you got to be Santa all the time.
But now I will give presents and I will spread cheer,
We're changing places, I'm Santa this year!
It is I who will say 'Merry Christmas',
So you may lie in my coffin and yell 'Boo'!
Please, mister Claus, don't think ill of my plan,
For I will the best Santa job that I can."
And though Jack and his friends thought they'd do a good job,
Their idea of Christmas was still quite macabre.
Packed up and ready on Christmas Eve day,
When Jack hitched his reindeer to his sleek coffin sleigh.
But on Christmas Eve as they were about to begin
A Halloween fog slowly rolled in.
Jack said: "We can't leave, this fog's just too thick,
There will be no Christmas and I can't be Saint Nick."
Then a small glowing light pierced through the fog,
What could it be? It was Zero, Jack's Dog.
Jack said: "Zero, with your nose so bright
Will you guide my sleigh tonight?"
And to be so needed was Zero's great dream,
So he joyously flew to the head of the team.
And as the skeletal sleigh started its ghostly flight,
Jack cackled: "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"
Twas the Nightmare before Christmas, and all through the house
Not a creature was peaceful, not even a mouse.
The stockings, all hung by the chimney with care,
When opened that morning would cause quite a scare.
The children all nestled so snug in their beds
Would have nightmares of monsters and skeleton heads.
The moon, that hung over the new fallen snow,
Cast an eerie pall over the city below.
And Santa Claus' Laugter now sounded like groans,
And the jingeling bells lit chattering bones.
And what to their wondering eye should appear
But a coffin sleigh with skeleton deer.
And a skeletal driver, so ugly and sick
They knew in the moment this can't be Saint Nick.
From house to house, with a true sense of joy,
Jack happily issued each present and toy.
From rooftop to rooftop he jumped and he skipped
Leaving presents that seemed to be straight from a crypt.
Unaware that the world was in panic and fear,
Jack merrily spread his own brand of cheer.
He visited the house of Suzie and Dave,
They got a Gumby and Poky from the grave.
Then on the house of little Jane Nieman,
She got a baby doll possessed by a demon,
A monstrous train with tentacle tracks,
A ghoulish puppet wielding an axe,
A man-eating plant disguised as a wreath,
And a vampire teddy bear with very sharp teeth.
There were screams of terror, but Jack didn't hear it,
He was much too involved with his own Christmas spirit.
Jack finally looked down from his dark, starry flight
And he saw the commotion, the noise and the light.
"Why, they're celebrating, it looks like such fun!
They're thanking for the good job that I've done!"
But what he thought were fireworks meant as good will,
But bullets and missiles intended to kill.
Then amidst the barrage of artillery fire
Jack urged Zero to go higher and higher.
And away they all flew like the storm of a thistle
Till they were hit by a well-guided missile.
And as they fell on the cemetery, way out of sight
It was heard: "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"
Jack pulled himself up on a large stone cross
And from there he reviewed his incredible loss.
"I thought I could be Santa, I had such belief."
Jack was confused and filled with great grief.
Not knowing where to turn he looked toward the sky,
Then he slumped on the grave and he started to cry.
And as Zero and Jack lay crumpled on the ground,
They suddenly heard a familiar sound.
"My dear Jack," said Santa, "I applaud your intent,
I know wreaking such havoc was not your intent.
And so you were sad and feeling quite blue,
But taking over Christmas was the wrong thing to do.
I hope you realize Halloween's the right place for you.
There's a lot more, Jack, that I'd like to say,
But now I must hurry, for it's almost Christmas Day."
Then he jumped in his sleigh, and with the wink of an eye
He said, "Merry Christmas!", and he bid them goodbye.
Back home Jack was sad, but then like a dream
Santa brought Christmas to the land of Halloween.
