You can tell they had a lot of fun and a lot of work making this episode. This is the one episode in the series that I can really picture the writers going back and forth with ideas. In order to make this episode work. Everything any character said had to be important. There could be no throw away lines. To make an entire episode in rhyme. My hat goes off to them for it.
The villain was pretty interesting. I like that they kept with their tradition of always giving a villain an interesting motivation. (A tradition they'd continue until season 3) He was pissed because something he worked hard on was destroyed. I can understand that. I liked all the cool christmas imagery. I didn't really like Danny'd mean- spiritedness or that his friends were mean to him without proof that it was his fault, but I can forgive it because it worked itself out in the end.
I do want to ask one thing though. If they wanted to make a holiday special, why didn't they do a version of the 'christmas carol'? Yeah I know it's really overdone in the media, but when you stop to think about it. It is the only christmas story to have ghosts in it. If ANY show deserved to do something relating to the famous Charles Dickens classic it's DANNY PHANTOM.
But that's just me wishing that it was something it wasn't, and for what it is, it is a decent episode. Check it out if you're in the mood for Danny phantom this holiday season.moreless
Danny Fenton hates Christmas. When he accidentally destroys the only copy of a ghostly Christmas story, the book's author, Ghost Writer, makes Danny hate the holiday even more by turning him into the main character of a brand new Yuletide tale. Danny is now trapped in a scenario where everyone talks in rhyme! With his magical Quantum Keyboard, Ghost Writer creates a series of catastrophes that threaten to ruin Christmas for all of Amity Park and pins the blame on Danny. When Danny goes into the Ghost Zone to confront Ghost Writer, he is surprised to find his old ghostly enemies in a giving mood. Danny enlists them to help him defeat Ghost Writer and restore the spirit of Christmas to Amity Park and, perhaps, to his own heart.moreless
 Rickey D'Shon Collins |
Tucker Foley |
Colleen O'Shaughnessey |
Jazz Fenton |
David Kaufman |
Danny Fenton/Phantom |
Grey DeLisle |
Samantha "Sam" Manson |
 Kath Soucie |
Maddie Fenton (Mom) |
Rob Paulsen |
Jack Fenton (Dad) |
 Will Arnett |
Ghost Writer |
Guest Star |
James Arnold Taylor |
Walker |
Guest Star |
David Kaufman |
Kid Walla |
Guest Star |
 Tara Strong |
Ember/Penelope Spectra/Tiffany Snow/Baby Danny |
Recurring Role |
 Kevin Michael Richardson |
Skulker |
Recurring Role |
Kath Soucie |
Lunch Lady Ghost |
Recurring Role |
Watch Online
Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions
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TRIVIA (12)
ADD TRIVIA-
Right before the commercial, Danny is running away from the Nutcracker. When the show comes back on, he is facing it.
-
The Ghostwriter has a half-brother named Randy.
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When the ghosts are grabbing Christmas trees, you can see two Spectras for a second, one of them being her human form and one of them being her shadow form.
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When the ghosts went to help Danny they would have had to travel through the ghost shield, meaning that they would not have been able to reach him.
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Technically, Danny broke the truce when he beat up the Ghost Writer and had him arrested.
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Ember is present (and speaking) at the ghosts' Christmas party, but she is not among the ghosts when they arrive in the real world to help Danny.
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Before the trees attack, when Danny sees that little boy, the boy's shirt had red on the sleeves but when you see him again, the red is gone.
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After Danny uses his ghostly wail, and transforms back into a human, he has his coat on. But earlier that night when he left he didn't have it on.
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After Danny goes ghost, the Box Ghost says something. Once he turns around, Spectra isn't in her new form.
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The episode's name is apparently based on Tim Burton's fantasy "The Nightmare Before Christmas" with Nightmare using the substitute "Fright'.
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At the end of the episode, when all the ghosts are in the sled, there are two Spectras. One is in her body form and the other is in her shadow form.
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As the enemy ghosts help restore Christmas to the town, one part of the sequence shows Danny, Tucker, and Sam bringing a Christmas tree into a young boy's house. When Sam enters, her coat is colored red. But afterward when Danny helps the boy put the star on top of the tree, Sam's coat is back to her regular black.
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QUOTES (26)
ADD QUOTES-
Box Ghost: The Box Ghost shall conquer this holiday doom!
Lunch Lady: We just couldn't leave you to wallow in gloom.
Skulker: (Arming an arm cannon) Tomorrow you'll see what this baby can do...(warmly) But all ghosts share the truce....even half-ghosts like you. -
Skulker: (To Danny; after the Ghost Writer writes him to a room with a bunch of his enemies) We've been waiting for you.
Ghost Writer: Skulker said with a grin.
Box Ghost: Now our holiday party can finally begin!
(Spotlights come on and illuminate two christmas trees)
Skulker: Eat, drink and be merry!
Ember: Have some warm Christmas goose!
Box Ghost: For surely you know of our annual truce!
Ghost Writer: The truce! It's still holding? I thought they'd suspend it! To beat on their foe!
Skulker: Oh, this truce, we defend it! -
Danny: (Depressed; after destroying the Ghost Writer's keyboard) With the keyboard all busted, the curse takes its toll. The story continues, but I've no control.
(Sam and Tucker show up)
Tucker: Dude, like, it's Christmas. So why are you here?
Sam: Alone outside, with no friends or family near?
Danny: Its my fault. All my fault, what happened tonight. I spoke out in anger and acted in spite. I started it all when I picked that first fight. But I'd give all I have to set everything right. -
(After Danny storms off)
Maddie: Hmm? What got into him?
Jack: He takes after his mother.
Jazz: Can't blame you for losing your cool, little brother. Go ahead. Clear your head and I think you'll be fine. (Christmas presents go up the chimney and start to follow Danny) But taking our presents is crossing the line! -
Ghost Writer: You think this is over? It's barely begun! This all doesn't end till the lesson is done!
Danny: And you think that I'll learn it? You think you're that tough?
Jack: He exists!
Maddie: No, he doesn't!
Ghost Writer: Then Dan screamed...
Danny: Enough! I'm sick of your fighting! Can you please let this die? You've ruined each Christmas, each Christmas... and I can't take anymore of this war, am I my clear? Fourteen years is enough! I am so out of here! -
Danny: I won't keep this up!
Ghost Writer: Danny said to the writer.
Danny: There's no poem if I'm silent.
Jazz: (About Jack and Maddie's fight over Santa's existence) Can't you make Dad not fight her?
Danny: Augh! -
Ghost Writer: But Danny's grim Yuletide was only beginning. Later that night as his patience was thinning...
Jack: (Slides down the chimney) See! A fat man can fit down the chimney! Here's proof!
Maddie: That still won't explain how he gets on the roof!
Ghost Writer: And Danny just sat there, steaming and fuming. His blood pressure rising, his anger consuming... -
Jack: Anybody seen Danny?
Jazz: Like I even care.
Maddie: What are you saying, Jazmine? Your brother's out there. Hold down the fort, Jack. I'll go after our tot. Those trees will not stop me! (Jumps out the window)
Jack: Oh, man, that is hot! -
Bill: It's tree watch, day one. Hope there isn't day two. Let's go to Lance Thunder, our weatherman who...
Lance Thunder: (Surrounded by ghost trees) Can't believe I quit acting to work in this place. There's chaos here, Bill. (Ghost trees gang up on him) Not the face! Not the face! -
Tiffany Snow: The sirens is wailing, the ghost trees attacking. Lock up your homes, I suggest you start packing.
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Danny: (Fighting the Nutcracker) You think this can stop me? This bear or this train? I'll just fire away 'till no pieces remain! (Destroys Nutracker) Nothing to add?
Ghost Writer: Danny asked. Then the answer, showed up in the form of Sam, Tucker, and Lancer. And Jazz, standing silent, her eyes filled with tears. Mourning the bear she had loved all these years. And Tucker and Sam felt that crushing blow too.
Tucker: (As Danny tries to comfort him) Danny, don't.
Sam: What's your deal?
Jazz: I don't even know you.
(They walk off) -
Danny: And that's when I thought, maybe this is the moral. In the same way my folks love their old Christmas quarrel. Everyone celebrates in the way of their choosing. I was so busy whining, I started abusing the ones I loved most and I ruined their cheer. I'll try to be better come Christmas next year.
(Danny, Jazz, Sam, and Tucker appear on the poem's last page)
Sam: Uh, nice sentiment, but what are you, a greeting card?
Tucker: Yeah. Why you talking in ryhme?
Jazz: Such a dork.
Danny: (Excited) We're not talking in rhyme. We're not talking in rhyme!! -
Maddie: You've ruined our night!
Jack: Drink some anti-ghost tonic!
Danny: Wait, I ruined their night? How's that for ironic?
Ghost Writer: So Danny did soar through the crisp evening --
Danny: Look! What's a guy got to do to get out of this book?!
Ghost Writer: And then Danny thought...
Danny: (Flying around the city) Wait. My problem is clear. This poem's about Christmas which is here, here, and here. This curse will stay on me from my town to Rome. But he can't Christmas me in a non-Christmas home. -
Tucker: Who are you talking to, Danny?
Ghost Writer: Said Tucker, confused.
Danny: Some annoying Ghost Writer. We're all being used! I blew up his story...
Ghost Writer: No hint of remorse.
Danny: Now he's writing a new one. We're trapped in by force!
Ghost Writer: But Tucker and Sam merely shrugged in confusion. Completely convinced of my ghostly illusion. -
Danny: Now you're ripping off gifts? What is that supposed to do?
Ghost Writer: A: Make a huge scene, and B: blame it on you! -
Danny: Sam!
Ghost Writer: Danny said.
Danny: Ah, for cryin' out loud.
Sam: I know! Can't you see we're all under a cloud? Every present we had, in the chimney, up through it! That might work for you, but that's not how we do it!
Ghost Writer: And Sam saw sad faces on Mom, Dad, and Granny, so I typed on my keyboard, that the blame was on Danny!
Sam: You. You did this?!
Danny: Are you out of your mind?!
Sam: You're the holiday Scrooge! Do you think that I'm blind?!
Ghost Writer: And Danny and Sam found themselves in a spat. But before Dan could calm her, I soon realized that, a new threat was needed to cut through the noise. And what better way, than attack of the toys?! -
Ghost Writer: There was one little boy, in a little red hat. He thought Danny was cool...
(The boy waves at Danny and Danny waves back)
Ghost Writer: So we'll have to fix that! (Turns all the Christmas trees in town into monsters) -
Ghost Writer: On this night before Christmas, a brand new attacker! And now, face the wrath of my monster Nutcracker!
Danny: Aw, nuts. (Starts running)
Ghost Writer: Danny cried, as he started to run. (Pause) Must we end every scene with a terrible pun? -
Ghost Writer: (To Danny) You would be quite surprised what I can and can't do, but I'll leave you your freedom, so I can teach you. When you lash out at others, there's enmity earned. You're stuck in this poem 'till your lesson is learned.
-
Danny: (After destroying Ghost Writer's book) Oops, uh, sorry man, it was a total accident.
Ghost Writer: Oops? Oops?! Do you have any idea what you've done?!
Danny: Well, not really, uh, hence the "accident" part.
Ghost Writer: You've destroyed my greatest work! And that was my only copy!
Danny: (Picks up a page of the book from the destroyed pieces) "The Fright Before Christmas?" I destroyed a Christmas poem? Awesome!
Ghost Writer: What?!
Danny: Dude, I am sick of Christmas! I came to the Ghost Zone to get away from it. I might not have meant to destroy your stupid book, but that doesn't mean I'm not okay with it. (Destroys the page from the book that he was reading) -
Ghost Writer: Danny Fenton hates Christmas, he hates it a lot, which is why I've inserted the boy in this plot. He'll go through this tale 'till the story is ended.
Danny: But you can't make me rhyme!
Sam: Hope your New Year is splendid! -
(after Danny shows no sympathy for his book)
Ghost Writer: Scornful child! Scrooge-like urchin!(rises into the air as his eyes glow red)
Danny: And you are?
(keyboards appear around him)
Ghost Writer: The Ghost Writer! Every word I type on this keyboard becomes real. And since you destroyed my Christmas poem, you shall become my new Christmas poem!
(he zaps Danny back to Amity mall and begins to narrate as he types)
Ghost Writer: On the day before Christmas, in Amity Park, almost all there were cheery, yet one soul was dark.
Danny: Hey, that voice? It's that ghost whose book I destroyed. Wait, I'm trapped in his poem? Now I'm really annoyed! -
Danny: I hate the holidays!
Sam: I don't get it. How can anybody hate this time of year? I don't even celebrate it and I love it!
Tucker: That's right. You don't know about "The Fight".
Sam:"The Fight?"
(goes to a scene where Jack and Maddie are arguing around Santa's display)
Maddie: Santa Claus is a ho, ho, hoax!
Jack: Heretic! Santa's real as real can be! Don't listen to her kids! Santa's coming tonight in his sleigh full of goodies! Keep the ho, ho, hope alive!
Maddie: Flying at that altitude? In the open? At that speed? He's pass out. Or burn to a crisp from friction. It's scientifically impossible!
Danny: If you need be I'll be in the Ghost Zone. Getting rid of some frustration. -
Ghost Writer: (While typing) Young Danny thought quickly and picked up an orange. He threw it at Walker who... (No longer typing; trying to think of a rhyme) Aw, crud! Nothing rhymes with orange!
-
Walker: Orange?
Ghost Writer: Ahh! Get that thing away from me! -
Sam: Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Happy Hanukkah! Merry Christmas, Mikey.
Mikey: You are being cheery?! It's a trap! It's a trap!(runs away)
Sam: What's with him?
Danny: (angrily)What's with you?
Tucker: Aw, perk up Danny. I know you're in your annual holiday funk, but this is the one time of year Sam isn't instantly dour.
Sam:(to an African American man) Have a Kickin' Kwanzaa!
Tucker: And the one time of year I can bust out the Foley mistletoe beret. (starts talking to a lady)Hey there miss! Hows about spreading a little Christmas cheer?(is licked by dog) Mmm, you had liver for lunch.
-
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NOTES (45)
ADD NOTES-
David Kaufman admitted on his Facebook account that this is one of his favorite episodes.
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When Skulker told Danny that all the ghosts share the truce,"Even half-ghosts like him", why wasn't Vlad part of the truce?
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Sam is jewish, which could be the reason she's a vegitarian. Jews believe in not eating dairy nor anything with a face.
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The ghosts that appeared in this episode were, Walker, Skulker, The Ghost Writer, Kitty, Pointdexter, Shadow, Walker's Ghost Polices, Young Blood, Ember, The Lunch Lady, The Box Ghost, Bertrand, Dessiree, The Ghost Reindeers, The Ghost toys, The Ghost Christmas Trees, A Ghost Monster, Technus and Penelope Spectra.
The presents weren't included because they weren't alive, so they weren't considered as ghosts. -
Two lines Ghost Writer included in his rhyme were ones the characters used in previous episodes. Jack, in referring to something Maddie was doing, said "Man, that's hot!" here and in "13", and Lance Thunder, while attacked by ghosts/ghost products, screamed "Not the face!", which is similar as to in "Reign Storm", where he screamed, "Not the hair!"
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The Ghostwriter is the third villain who has pointed ears. The first is Vlad Plasmius, and the second is Dark Danny
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Listen Hard: These are the four Christmas songs played in the episode:
1. Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
2. Jingle Bells
3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
4. Deck the Halls -
When Danny was 4, he wore a bib with a spaceship on it, which could relate to his wanting to be an astronaut.
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Apparantly other people are so used to Sam being moody that when they see her cheerful they are freaked out about it.
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Third time that Danny's enemies make a truce with him and once again go back to being enemies at the end. First two times being in "Prisoners of Love" and "Reign Storm"
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This is the fourth episode in which none of the scenes take place at Casper High. The first episode was "Bitter Reunions," the second one was "Maternal Instinct," and the third one was "Identity Crisis."
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Ghost Writer is the second villain who gets his powers from an object that is eventually destroyed. The first was Freakshow from "Control Freaks," who got his powers from a magical crystal ball used to control ghosts. In this case, Ghost Writer obtained his powers from his Quantum Keyboard.
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Ghost Writer is the second villain that is sent to jail. The first was Freakshow in "Control Freaks." However, in this case, Ghost Writer is sent to ghost prison, while Freakshow was sent to real world prison.
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When Danny was a baby, Maddie wore her hair in a ponytail.
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It is revealed that Sam is really cheerful around the holidays.
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Most of this episode is narrated by Ghost Writer, making this the third episode where an episode is narrated-the first being "What you Want," by Tucker, and the second is "The Fenton Menace" by Jazz. However, this episode is narrated by two different people: Ghost Writer and Danny.
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Ghost Writer's powers only work as long as he can rhyme.
-
Opener: At the mall, Sam is in the spirit of Christmas, Tucker is trying to get a kiss with his mistletoe hat, and Danny is bitter. After Maddie and Jack fight over Santa's existence, Danny goes to the Ghost Zone to destroy numerous Christmas objects. There, he accidentally destroys Ghost Writer's book after aiming for a Christmas item that landed on it, but is okay with it, since it's a Christmas poem. Angered, Ghost Writer uses his Quantum Keyboard to alter Danny's reality and turn his life into a new Christmas poem.
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Look Hard: The name of the toy store in which some of the toys turn into monsters is "Angrum's Toys" -- this is a reference to one of the show's storyboard artists, Ray Angrum.
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Ghost Writer has a phobia of/weakness towards oranges. This is because nothing rhymes with the word "orange." which would also mean he has a phobia of the words "month", "dreamt", and "silver" because nothing rhymes with those four words.
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Youngblood returns, in his pirate clothes from "Pirate Radio," and not in his cowboy outfit from the previous episode, "The Fenton Menace."
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Penelope Spectra returns, in her new body from "Doctor's Disorders."
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Danny does not catch a ghost in the Fenton Thermos in this episode.
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Look Hard: The little boy that Danny helped putting the star on his Christmas tree was on the sled with all the ghosts at the end of the episode.
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This episode marks the second time Danny uses his Ghostly Wail. The first time was in "The Ultimate Enemy."
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By the end of this episode, Maddie now believes in Santa Claus, while Jack now believes Santa Claus is a ghost.
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Ghost Writer's book has the same name as the episode: "The Fright Before Christmas."
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Jazz's Bearbert Einstein teddy bear from "The Fenton Menace" is in this episode.
-
Instead of the usual music, the title screen featured a Christmas-type jingle.
-
Technus returns, still in his "new and improved 2.0" mode from "Identity Crisis."
-
Apparently, Mr. Lancer collects train models and toy soldiers.
-
Apparently, Mr. Lancer has no one to spend Christmas with, as one of his gifts says, "From: Mr. Lancer, To: Mr. Lancer."
-
Mr. Lancer appears in this episode, but has no dialogue.
-
No new named Fenton inventions were introduced in this episode.
-
The reason why Danny hates Christmas is because of Jack and Maddie's constant feuding over the existance of Santa Claus. Jack believes that Santa exists, while Maddie doesn't. Also, Danny was peed on by a dog as a baby during Christmas, and when he was four, his Christmas turkey came to life and attacked.
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A majority of this episode is in rhyme.
-
Dash and Paulina are absent in this episode.
-
It is revealed that Sam is Jewish, while Tucker and Danny are both Christian. A big menorah is visible on Sam's window, and Tucker and Danny both have Christmas trees. Also, Sam claimed in this episode that she doesn't celebrate Christmas.
-
Title Screen Caption: "Ho-Ho-Horror!"
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Major Ghost Debut(s): Ghost Writer - A ghostly book author who has the power to alter reality with his Quantum Keyboard.
-
The ghosts that helped Danny were: Skulker, The Box Ghost, Nicolai Technus, Desiree, Sidney Poindexter, the Lunch Lady Ghost, Ember, Walker, Penelope Spectra, Bertrand, Johnny 13, Kitty, and Youngblood. Also, some of Walker's guards helped.
-
Running Gags:
1) Everyone speaking in rhyme.
2) Jack and Maddie fighting about the existence of Santa Claus.
3) Danny being blamed for the destruction of Christmas items.
4) The ghosts reminding Danny that they will be enemies again after Christmas. -
It is revealed that all of Danny's enemies hold an annual truce on Christmas and it is against the rules to break it.
-
Main Villain(s): Ghost Writer.
-
This is the Christmas special.
-
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ALLUSIONS (13)
ADD ALLUSIONS-
Blue Toy: Appearance
When the ghosts come to help Danny, one of the first toys floating resembles Optimus Prime from Transformers. The figure's coloring seems to be paying homage to the prototype colors of Ultra Magnus from The Transformers: The Movie (1987). -
Ghost Writer:"Scornful child! Scrooge-like urchin!"
He calls Danny 'Scrooge' here, which is, of course, a reference to the character of Ebenezer Scrooge from the 19th-century novel 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens. This name is actually very fitting for Danny in this episode because of his hate for Christmas, and then how he later comes to understand that the holiday is not as bad as he'd thought. Something very similar happens to Scrooge in the book. -
Danny: You better watch out. You better not cry!
Danny is quoting the popular children's Christmas song, "Santa Claus is coming to town", while complaining about his parents' fight. -
Danny: (Charges a ball into a blast)
Danny Phantom's ectoplasmic energy ball is obviously a parody of Goku's spirit bomb, used in Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball GT. -
Ghost Writer: Name
Ghost Writer shares the name of the title character from a kid's show in the '90's called Ghostwriter, where a spirit that could only communicate through written words joins forces with a group of kids to solve mysteries. The spirit often entered computers to avoid its one limitation of only being able to use letters at hand to communicate. -
Remote Controlled Car: Appearance
The remote controlled car that Tucker was playing with before it turned into a monster greatly resembled Radio Shack's Zip Zaps. More Info -
Pottery Shed: Name
One of the stores that Danny, Sam, and Tucker pass in the mall is called "Pottery Shed," which is likely a parody of Pottery Barn, an interior decorative store. More Info -
Teddy Bears: Appearance
The teddy bears that turned into monsters resembled Care Bears. -
Dolls: Appearance
The blonde dolls that turned into monsters greatly resembled Barbie dolls. -
Episode Music: Sound
Throughout the episode, the soundtrack contained fragments of classic Christmas music, including "The Nutcracker Suite" and "God Rest Ye' Merry Gentlemen." -
Space Wars Toys: Name & Appearance
The Space Wars toys are obviously parodying the Star Wars brand name. The toys themselves resembled popular Star Wars characters -- Chewbacca, R2-D2, and the Storm Troopers. -
Danny: (Walking in shame over Christmas' demise that he had caused)
The music played in this scene is the traditional French carol, "Noel Nouvelet," known as "Now the Green Blade Rises," which is an Easter song. -
Episode Title: The Fright Before Christmas
The episode title is a parody of the popular poem, "The Night Before Christmas," also known as "A Visit from St. Nicholas," which was written by Clement Clarke Moore. More Info
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Danny Phantom: The Movie?
05/11/134
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If the series was renewed, how would it continue
04/05/138
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Fake DP outtakes!
04/04/131412
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Happy 9th Danniversary!
04/03/131
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Danny Phantom Broadcasting Network (character shows and debuts)
04/03/13540
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Phantom Planet
S 3 : Ep 12
Aired 8/24/07 (50:00)
-
D-Stabilized
S 3 : Ep 11
Aired 8/24/07 (25:00)
-
Claw of the Wild
S 3 : Ep 10
Aired 8/23/07 (24:00)
-
Frightmare
S 3 : Ep 9
Aired 8/22/07 (24:00)
Season 2 Episodes
See AllEp 17
Reality Trip
Ep 16
Double Cross My Heart
Ep 15
Kindred Spirits
Ep 14
Masters of All Time
Ep 13
King Tuck
Ep 12
Beauty Marked
Ep 11
Micro-Management
Ep 10
Flirting With Disaster
Ep 9
Secret Weapons
Ep 8
The Fright Before Chris...
Ep 7
The Fenton Menace
Ep 6
Identity Crisis
Ep 5
The Ultimate Enemy
Ep 5
Ultimate Enemy
Ep 4
Reign Storm
Ep 3
Pirate Radio
Ep 2
Doctor's Disorders
Ep 1
Memory Blank
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