Nightmare Before Christmas Party

“’Twas a long time ago, longer now than it seems, in a place that perhaps you’ve seen in your dreams. For the story that you are about to be told took place in the holiday worlds of old. Now, you’ve probably wondered where holidays come from. If you haven’t, I’d say it’s time you began.” — Santa Claus

Jack and his friends invite you to a spooky movie night inspired by Nightmare Before Christmas. This party theme is perfect for the Halloween or Christmas seasons or a family movie night.

Get all the details below to create your own Nightmare Before Christmas movie night or party. We share decor inspiration, easy and tasty recipes, a full party menu, and shopping links at the end of the post.

the Tablescape & Decor

We used the typical black and white color scheme for this party but added a few pops of lavender and peach. We used a balloon garland and black bats over the dessert table which was dressed in a lavender tablecloth and black cheesecloth topper.

We filled the dessert table with sweets & treats for our guests. A black cauldron was filled with Oogie Boogie Brew. Three glass apothecary jars held “Deadly Night Shade” (yogurt covered raisins and black jelly beans), “Worm’s Wort” (purple gum balls), and “Frog’s Breath” (gummy frogs). These printables are available in our Halloween cookbook.

We used our ceramic bat serving platter and black tiered dessert tray to display Sally’s Jello Desserts, Zero’s Cake Balls, and Jack’s Oreo Cookies.

A DIY Jack Skellington pumpkin, black spooky tree, and farmhouse tray decorated with small bats rounded out the decor.

We kept the tablescape fairly simple but picked up the same black, white, and lavender color scheme. The table covering was a basic white polyester tablecloth covered with a black lace spiderweb tablecloth.

We used black spiderweb placemats topped with a black stoneware plate and disposable Nightmare Before Christmas plate for each place setting. We added tied lavender cotton napkins and farmhouse style pint jar mugs.

Our centerpiece was black candle holders with white tapers, another black spooky tree, and a collection of light orange and white pumpkins.

The Menu

Our menu was filled with dishes inspired by the themes and characters of the film. Get all the details and recipes below.

Oogie Boogie's Brew

This Oogie Boogie Brew is a crowd pleaser and will be enjoyed by guests of all ages. The citrus brew is made with lemonade, lime simple syrup, and seltzer. Add dry ice for a magical effect and garnish with gummy worms. This recipe is featured in our Halloween cookbook.

Nightmare Before Chrismtas Charcuterie Board

This Nightmare Before Christmas charcuterie board is inspired by our favorite characters from Halloween Town: Jack Skellington, the Giant Snake, roses in honor of Sally, and some happy monsters. This charcuterie is quick and easy to make and a perfect movie night snack or Halloween party dish. Get the recipe here.

Man Eating Wreath Veggie Tray

“A man-eating plant makes a wonderful wreath as long as you don’t get caught in its teeth!” Create a Man Eating Wreath Veggie Tray with our simple tutorial. This appetizer is perfect for a Nightmare Before Christmas party or movie night. Get our recipe here.

Jack Skellington Hand Pies

We’ve got an easy party treat in honor of the Pumpkin King himself! These Jack Skellington hand pies are the perfect for movie night or a party spread. Made with just 3 ingredients, they are simple to make and will be ready in a snap. Get the quick and easy recipe here.

Sally's Jello Desserts

We love Sally’s patchwork dress and made some easy Jello desserts to reflect her signature colors. Sally’s Jello Desserts require just a few ingredients and are very simple to make. They’re very versatile too – add black sprinkles at Halloween, heart sprinkles at Valentine’s Day, or Christmas sprinkles during the holidays. This recipe is available in our Halloween cookbook.

Zero's Cake Balls

Zero from Nightmare Before Christmas is the sweetest little ghost! We’ve created some cake balls to look like him. Creamy white cake is wrapped in a crunchy white candy coating. Little Zero even has a glowing orange nose.

These treats require just a few basic ingredients: white cake mix & frosting, white candy melts, orange ball candies, candy eyes, and marshmallows. This recipe is featured in our Halloween cookbook.

Jack's Oreo Cookies

These Jack Skellington cookies inspired by The Nightmare Before Christmas are adorable and yummy! They are filled with Oreo cookies and decorated to look like Jack himself. This recipe is featured in our Halloween cookbook.