With the weather getting colder and the threat of snow looming overhead, it’s safe to say that it is officially that time of the year! Now that the Black Friday rush is a distant memory, most of us have already filled out our checklist of what we wanted this holiday season. (Of course for anime fans, its more anime.)

With various Christmas specials such as Rudolph and Frosty The Snowman making their annual rerun on television, anime fans will find themselves streaming new episodes and titles online, or make their way to any anime conventions that are happening this month. If you’re looking for a way to get into the holiday spirit as an anime fan, but don’t want to do it in the conventional way, check out these five Christmas specials from some of your favorite anime titles that will put some “Ho! Ho! Ho!” in your holiday! 😉

Itsudatte My Santa! (OVA)

Ever wonder what your life would be like if you happened to be born on Christmas Eve, and you’re named after jolly ol’ Saint Nick himself? Well this is the story of San-chan (aka Santa), a boy who hated Christmas due to the fact that he grew up as a lonely child. Neglected by his parents he never saw Christmas for what it truly was; about family, giving joy, good will, and peace on earth. All of that changes when he meets a girl named Mai, who shows him the true meaning of what Christmas is all about!

This OVA was created by Love Hina and Negima! creator, Ken Akamatsu. This one’s a bit of an ecchi episode, so no kiddies allowed!

Hetalia: Axis Powers (Episode 31)

Hetalia has had a bit of a following during the time it made its way to North America, so its no surprise that it was going to have its own Christmas themed episode. So if you want to know what the Hetalia gang is doing for Christmas, be sure to check out this episode! (The real clip is online, and you’ll have to log in to use it because its TV-MA.)

Ranma 1/2 (OVA 2 – The Christmas Special)

Christmas is that special time of year where family and friends gather together and fellowship with one another. In the world of anime (especially in Ranma 1/2) however, the jolly time spent together doesn’t always turn out the way it was supposed to be. Kasumi has a dream about Santa Claus, and is told to hold a Christmas party at the dojo. Every character from the main series is invited and of course, all hell breaks loose. Will Ranma be able to survive the night and make it to Christmas morning?

Cardcaptors (Cardcaptor Sakura) – Christmas Episode 35

With Clear Card already out, the Cardcaptor Sakura fanbase has reignited and rejuvenated itself among the reborn classics of anime. With Christmas rolling around in the coming weeks, OG Cardcaptor fans may be streaming this particular episode to get themselves ready for the holiday season.

Punchline – Episode 3 (Christmas)

When you find out that the world will end after Christmas Eve, there’s really no way to process what the next set of actions will be after hearing that kind of news. For Yuta Iridatsu, he’s in a situation where he’s a spirit watching over his female roommates from an apartment complex, however if he sees their panties twice in one day, a giant meteor falls on the Earth and destroys it. Why does he find himself going to so many Christmas parties after hearing the news of Y2K before New Years? You’ll have to watch and find out! (No kiddies allowed, this is NOT a G-rated title!)

There are various other anime Christmas specials out there that fans can enjoy, so if you find any that you want to tell us about, let us know in the comments section. And on that note, this wraps up our filler post like an early Christmas gift on Layaway! XP

Until next post (and next week), stay golden! 😉