My Favorite Nightmare Before Christmas Characters

Every year between the time of Halloween and Christmas, I watch one of my favorite Halloween movies — Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.

… or is it a Christmas movie? Or is it both?

No matter what you might consider it, The Nightmare Before Christmas has become a holiday classic with a huge fandom and some very memorable characters.

I think I like all of the characters from The Nightmare Before Christmas but my top favorite characters would have to be Halloween Town’s finest (and perhaps oddest) Trick or Treaters — Lock, Shock, and Barrel!

The Nightmare Before Christmas has a huge fandom that particularly emerges around Halloween with an excitement that lasts until or reappears for another round at Christmas time. On the off chance that there is anyone that has not seen The Nightmare Before Christmas (I actually know of someone that just watched it for the first time this year!), Lock, Shock, and Barrel are the sneaky, mischievous, weird, yet all at the same time, adorable Trick or Treaters in the movie. They are the antagonists of the movie and play the role of Oogie Boogie's henchmen. They are also referred to as "Oogie’s Boys" despite one of them being a girl (Shock). Oogie Boogie, by the way, is another one of my favorite characters.

I like all of them, but if I were asked who my favorite Trick or Treater out of the bunch is, it would have to be Shock. Just in case you don’t know, she’s the little witch! Lock is the little devil, and Barrel, I think he’s supposed to be a little skeleton or a ghoul.

Not exactly sure why I like Shock the best. I think it’s because I just like the whole witch theme. When I think of witches, I think of magic spells with interesting rhymes, black cauldrons filled with some kind of strange bubbling concoction, and riding in the moonlit sky on a broom stick. Shock doesn’t do any of these witch activities in the movie unfortunately. She's just a Trick 0r Treater after all. But I still like her! Another reason why I like her the best is just because of her spunky attitude with her cohorts Lock and Barrel.

Lock, Shock, and Barrel's mischievous antics make the movie even more fun. They are seen as a sense of comic relief too. I'd even watch a spin off series with them in it.

One of the funniest parts in the movie was when they accidently captured the Easter Bunny seriously believing that it was Santa Claus. Remember, the characters of Halloween town have no concept whatsoever as to what Christmas is.

And of course, there’s that song they sing. Probably the weirdest song in the whole movie.

Kidnap the Sandy Claws.

It’s very catchy and memorable in my opinion. Maybe not as catchy as This is Halloween, though, but it’s a fun song nonetheless and is one of my favorites in the movie. The thing is, if you actually just listen to the lyrics, it’s a bit demented. haha. Those Trick or Treaters are crazy!

If you are looking for a fun family friendly Halloween or Holiday movie to watch, I would definitely recommend The Nightmare Before Christmas. It has so many memorable and likeable characters: Jack Skellington, the main character (who is undoubtedly the most popular), Sally, Oogie Boogie… and of course, Halloween Town’s finest Trick or Treaters — Lock, Shock, and Barrel!

I've watched Nightmare Before Christmas around Halloween. Now, that it's getting close to Christmas, its time to watch it again.

Are you also a fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas? Who is your favorite character?