Ryers Readers - The Nightmare Before Christmas

Episode Date: December 2, 2022

Jack Skellington is looking for a change! He finds himself in Christmas Town and wonders why Santa gets all the holiday cheer! Surely, Jack can do just as good of a job as Santa this year…right?

Let's do this! Thank you so much for tuning into today's story. Don't forget to rate and follow, so you never miss out on all the Ryer's Readers' fun. Before we get into the story, do you want to know a fun fact? Did you know that centuries ago, sleigh bells were attached to horses pulling sleighs?

The ringing of the bells would signal that someone important was arriving, or to warn people, people walking on the street that the vehicle was approaching. Slays were not able to make quick stops, so the sound of the sleigh bells would warn people to move out of the way. Pretty cool, huh? Okay, story time. Today, we have a very special Ryer's Reader's Reader's request from Ruby in Illinois, USA.

Ruby requested to hear The Nightmare Before Christmas, 20th Anniversary Edition by Tim Burton. I hope you enjoy this story, Ruby. Let's do this. It was late, one fall in Halloween land, 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 bow tie. Jack Skellington was his name. He was tired and bored in Halloween land.

Everything was always the same. I'm sick of 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 than just yelling, boo!

Then out from the grave with a curl and a twill and a twill, came a whimpering, whining, spectral mist. It was little ghost dog with a faint little bark and a jackal-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 20 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 Christmas town. Immersed in the light, Jack was no longer haunted.

He had finally found the feeling 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 with all of his elves. He took lights and ornaments in the star from the tree and from the Christmas town 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 stared in amazement. at his Christmas souvenirs. For this wondrous vision, none were prepared. Most were excited, though, a few were quite scared.

For the next few days, while it lightninged and thundered, Jack sat alone and obsessively wondered. Why is it they get to spread laughter and cheer, while we stalk the graveyard spreading panic and fear? Well, 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 altogether ugly and rather petite as they opened their sacks and they yelled trigger 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 never seen Santa before. And as they cautiously gazed at this strange old man, Jack related to Santa, his master's. masterful plan. My dear, Mr. Claus, I think it's a crime that you have got to be Santa all of the time. But now I will give presents and I will spread cheer.

We're changing places. I'm Santa this year. And it is I who will say, Merry Christmas to you, so you may lie in my coffin, creak doors, and yell, boo. And please, Mr. Claus, don't think ill of my plan. for I'll do 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 macab. They were 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 St. 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, Won't 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's laughter now sounded like groans, and the jingling bells like chattering bones. And what to their wondering eyes should appear, but a coffin sleigh with skeleton deer! And a skeletal driver so ugly and sick they knew in a moment, This can't be St. 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 the crypt. Unaware that the world was in panic and fear, Jack merrily spread his own brand of cheer. He visited the house of Susie and Dave. They got a gumby and pokey. from the grave. Then onto the home of little Jane Neiman, 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 flights and saw the commotion, the noise, the light. Why they're celebrating, it looks like such fun. They're thanking me for all the good job that I've done. But what he thought were fireworks meant as goodwill were 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, until they were hit by a well-guided missile, and as they fell on the cemetery way out of sight,

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 towards 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 havoc was not what you meant, and so you are 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 I must now hurry, for it's almost Christmas day.

Then he jumped in his sleigh, and with a wink of his eye, he said, Merry Christmas, and bid them goodbye. Back home, Jack was sad, but then, like a dream, Santa brought Christmas to the land of Halloween.

The end. Don't forget to stick around to see if you can answer today's paying attention question. Before you go, do you think you can answer today's paying attention question? What did Jack's dog Zero use to guide Jack's sleigh through the fog? If your answer was, his glowing jacko'lanta nose? You did it! Great job! You sure were! You sure were paying attention. I hope you enjoyed that story.

I wonder what we're going to read next. Bye, Ruby. Love your show. Could you read the Mayberry before Christmas? The 20th Anniversary Edition, that rhymes. Thank you.