CHRISTMAS TOWN, one of the holiday worlds of old. It can be accessed through the grove where all holidays live, by entering the door shaped like a Christmas tree. Snow forever covers the ground, and snowmen are a common sight. The town itself is nestled between two hills, the buildings brightly colored and eminating delightful music. Its main inhabitants are children, who love to play on the town carousel and trains. The mayor of Christmas Town is Santa Claus, responsible for delivering on Christmas Eve the toys constructed by the town's elves in their workshop. A clock at the highest point in the town counts down the days to Christmas.

(The Nightmare Before Christmas, directed by Henry Selick, USA, 1993)

HALLOWEEN TOWN, one of the holiday worlds of old. The spirit of Halloween is created here, all manner of frights and fears carefully constructed by the citizenry to be loosed upon the children of the world. Halloween Town is inhabited by a wide variety of creatures, such as witches, werewolves, vampires and swamp creatures. Prominent inhabitants include the Mayor, the mad scientist Doctor Finkelstein, and the King of Halloween, Jack Skellington. Jack is essentially the leader of the town, as the master of all things freaky and frightening.

Every first of November the Mayor and Jack meet to discuss the plans for next year's celebration. A clock situated above the town square ticks off the days remaining until next Halloween. The grand finale to each year's festivities is a huge parade through the center of town, in which every citizen takes part. The town itself is home to numerous mausoleums, sarcophogi, pumpkin patches, and cemetaries. Jack Skellington lives in a tall tower on the edge of town.

One place visitors should be sure to avoid is the lair of Oogie Boogie, a ghost-shaped sack of bugs who likes to gamble. The furnishings of his home include a giant roulette wheel from which blades pop out and a pack of slot-machine gunmen. Oogie Boogie employs the mischievous trick-or-treaters Lock, Shock and Barrel, who will lure unsuspecting individuals to their doom.

One year Jack found himself disillusioned by the yearly routine of the Halloween preparations, and wandered off into the woods. He stumbled upon CHRISTMAS TOWN, and made the decision to try his hand at running Christmas that year. The festivities were a complete disaster, and Jack realized that what he does best is scare people. Christmas was saved by Santa, who let snow fall over Halloween Town.

(The Nightmare Before Christmas, directed by Henry Selick, USA, 1993)