Christmas has arrived at Laura’s house, not just for her, but for Hamtaro and the Ham-Hams as well. They get started with the preparations by setting up the Christmas tree and clearing up some doubts about what Christmas is about. Boss finds out about the existence of Santa and he’s determined to get lots of gifts. In order to achieve that, he reads a book on manners and starts being nice and polite to others. Early on Christmas Day, the Ham-Hams are surprised that they all got gifts including Boss, who’s overcome by joy after all his hard work. In this lovely final scene we get to see Boss enjoying the merriest of Christmas for him so far, and also realize that our efforts never go unrewarded.

Keroro is constantly planning on conquering the Earth, even during Christmas. This time, he plans on taking advantage while everyone is distracted celebrating the holiday. Sadly for him, his team is also possessed by the Christmas spirit and he ends up all alone on this one. He blames Santa for this new failure and thinks of him as a rival who’s also after world domination. Eventually, our froggy friend realizes Santa is not only too powerful for him, but that he’s also a nice person who brings gifts to good boys. By the end, Keroro catches the Christmas spirit and performs good deeds in order to earn Santa’s approval. The Christmas magic is felt when Keroro goes to sleep, exhausted from all the work he’s done, and we see a Christmas gift waiting for him at the end of his bed.

Paradigm city is being threatened on 25th December. Luckily, Roger Smith and the Big O are there to protect the city and its inhabitants. After a short fight against a giant creeper vine, Roger gives Dorothy a birthday present (though it wasn’t really her birthday), and what’s even more surprising, she gives him a Christmas gift. How considerate of her! However, that shallow exchange of gifts (despite being a thoughtful gesture, it felt empty and lacking meaning or emotion) is not what makes this Christmas special. What makes this Christmas so merry is Oliver and Laura’s unconditional love for each other. In the last scene, he tells her he doesn’t have a gift for her, and she answers that her gift is being with him. Those who seem to be poorer are certainly the richest, on a Christmas full of love.

This episode of Clannad is not a Christmas special, but it has 2 Christmas scenes. On the first of these, Tomoya and Nagisa take a walk outside during Christmas Eve. Tomoya then buys her a present and he reveals his joy for spending Christmas alone with her for their first time. I find this short scene to be extremely romantic and touching, especially when you know all the trials they had to endure to be together and as happy as they are. In Japan, Christmas is very much related to lovers and this particular scene is all about being happy next to one’s significant other. A Christmas with that kind of love is certainly the merriest.

On this Christmas special, the Tendo family throws a big Christmas party, with a lot of guests, food, gifts, karaoke and romance. Both Ranma’s and Akane’s fathers believe this is a great opportunity to bring their children together, but some of the girls who are after Ranma have other plans in mind. The episode reaches its climax when Ranma manages to escape from the girls chasing him and gets some alone time with Akane. They get past their differences and exchange gifts. Akane’s gift for Ranma is a hideous scarf she made herself, but Ranma appreciates the thought behind it and puts it on to make her happy. Being that nice to each other is quite unusual for both Ranma and Akane, which makes this scene so special and Christmassy.

This Christmas special is one of those that make you cry like a little girl. It starts with Kirito accepting the Moonlit Black Cats’ offer to join their guild. In time, they become quite close and Kirito begins to care a great deal for these people, especially for a girl, Sachi. Sadly, few weeks later, the Moonlit Black Cats walk into a trap and every member gets killed except Kirito. Our hero spends months blaming himself for their death, but he is told that the Christmas event boss will drop a revival item when defeated, so he goes after it. Despite his success, the item turns out to be useless to bring back Sachi. Then suddenly, a Christmas miracle happens! Kirito receives a message from Sachi on Christmas Eve, telling him that her death was inevitable and not his fault. She ends her message asking him to live to fulfill his dreams and thanking him for the time they spent together. Then she makes her farewell by humming “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” to wish him a Merry Christmas.

As we would expect from a Haruhi Suzumiya special, this story is completely twisted, complex, full of mysteries and supernatural occurrences. The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is set on 18th December, when Kyon arrives at school to realize that his world has changed completely and nobody knows of Haruhi’s existence. He sets out on a quest to find Haruhi and Itsuki, and to bring the world back to normal. Eventually, Kyon succeeds and everything is as it used to be, but he still has to travel to the past in order to preserve this reality. In the final scene, Kyon is back at school on 24th December, and he decides that the space-time continuum can wait for his time travel. For now he has to attend Haruhi’s Christmas hot-pot party. Certainly, Christmas will be the merrier around someone like her.

You know how Christmas is all about being with the people you love, leaving our differences behind and just getting along. Well, Kobato’s Christmas special represents that aspect of Christmas quite well. It starts off with Kobato feeling terrible because Fujimoto’s been treating her coldly. She believes it is her fault, but it is later revealed that Fujimoto was abandoned as a child during Christmas. Domoto, on the other hand, is as charming as ever towards Kobato, and he intends to make her happy by giving her the perfect Christmas gift. Aware of what troubles Kobato’s mind, Domoto sends Fujimoto to make up with her. This is a lovely Christmas scene, with snow falling down on Kobato and Fujimoto’s heads while they reconcile thanks to Domoto’s selfless action. It just gives me the feels.

Christmas at Umaru and Taihei’s place is obviously the warmest and coziest of all. On this Christmas, Taihei has to work overtime, so Umaru is left home alone decorating the apartment and waiting for him in the comfort of her kotatsu. A few hours later though, Taihei arrives home with Kirie-chan, so the three of them get to enjoy a wonderful Christmas together. However, the scene from this episode that represents the Christmas spirit the most is at the very end. Taihei sends a photo of him dressed as Santa to Kanau, his female boss, and wishes her a merry Christmas knowing that she would spend the holiday alone. She can’t help to be cheered by Taihei’s gesture, as her Christmas doesn’t seem so cold anymore.

The members of the Student Council are having their first Christmas together, which of course, turns out to be a very sexual one. Takatoshi and the girls spend the holiday at Aria’s vacation house with Aria’s maid, Dejima-san, who’s just as perverted as the rest of the girls. They spend a lovely Christmas Eve having delicious food and having lots of fun like one big family (a very kinky family). Then, the time comes to exchange gifts and Takatoshi is not very pleased when he gets one that vibrates. Luckily for him, the lovely Shino has a special gift made for him. Surprise! It also vibrates. But this Christmas proves to be the merriest of all in the last scene, when Santa appears to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and he give Takatoshi one last and very cool gift… you guessed it, another vibrator.