Is 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' based on a real story?
Well, sort of. Tim Burton was influenced by various things in his life. He had a fascination with the contrast between the dark and the light, the spooky and the jolly. So, he took those feelings and ideas and crafted 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. It's not based on one single 'real' story but more on his general perception of the holidays and his creative vision. There are elements that many people can relate to, like the idea of different worlds colliding, which might be seen as a sort of real - life inspiration in a more abstract way.
The Nightmare Before Christmas has some real - life roots. Tim Burton grew up with a sense of the distinctiveness of Halloween and Christmas. Halloween has its spooky, macabre side and Christmas is all about joy and giving. He played with these two concepts in his head and used his vivid imagination to bring them together in the form of Jack Skellington and the story of the movie. His experiences of seeing how different these two holidays were and yet how they both held a special place in people's hearts formed the basis for this beloved film.