Christmas

Christmas (IPA: /krɪsməs/), also referred to as Christmas Day or Christmastide, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25^[2] that marks and honors the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.^[3][4][5] His birth, which is the basis for the Anno Domini system of dating, has been determined by modern historians as having occurred between 7 and 2 BC. The date of celebration is not thought to be Jesus' actual date of birth, and may have been chosen to coincide with ancient Roman solar festivals that were held on December 25.^[6]
Modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, church celebrations, and the display of various decorations—including the Christmas tree, lights, mistletoe, nativity scenes and holly. Santa Claus (also referred to as Father Christmas, although the two figures have different origins) is a popular mythological figure often associated with bringing gifts at Christmas. Santa is generally believed to be the result of a syncretization between St. Nicholas of Myra and elements from pagan Nordic and Christian mythology, and his modern appearance is believed to have originated in 19th century media.
Christmas is celebrated throughout the Christian population, but is also celebrated by many non-Christians as a secular, cultural festival. The holiday is widely celebrated around the world, including in the United States, where it is celebrated by 96% of the population.^[7] Because gift-giving and several other aspects of the holiday involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, Christmas has become a major event for many retailers.

Christmas Eve, December 24, is the day before Christmas Day, the celebrated birthday of Jesus Christ.

Gift Giving
It is also seen as the night when Santa Claus or his international variants make their rounds giving gifts to good children. In the Czech Republic and Hungary, where St. Nicholas (sveti Mikuláš) gives his sweet gifts on December 6, the Christmas gift-giver is the Child Jesus (Ježíšek in Czech and Jézuska in Hungarian), also known to most as Christkind. In Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Norway, Iceland, Argentina, Poland, Portugal and Quebec, Christmas presents are opened mostly on the evening of the 24^th, while in Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, English Canada, South Africa, and Australia mostly on the morning of Christmas Day. In Finland Joulupukki personally meets children and gives presents in the evening of Christmas Eve. In most parts of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland Christmas presents are opened in the evening of December 24th ('Bescherung') and are brought by Christkind or Christchild, who leaves the gifts but is never seen doing so. In Spain gifts are traditionally opened on the morning of January 6, Epiphany day ("Día de Los Tres Reyes Magos"), though in some other countries, like Argentina and Uruguay people received presents both around Christmas and on the morning of Epiphany day; there are also some countries, like the rest of Latin America, where people stay awake until midnight, when they open the presents.

Regional Traditions
Philippines 
Further information: Christmas in the Philippines

In the Philippines, the predominantly Roman Catholic Christian country in Asia, Christmas Eve is usually celebrated by attending the "Rooster's Mass or Misa del Gallo which is celebrated hours before the clock ticks 12 A.M. signifying the arrival of Christmas Day. After attending church, Filipino families usually hold a feast named Noche Buena to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. A great variety of food is eaten during this feast, an event that usually is done with great preparation. Foods being prepared include the famous lechón, quezo de bola, jamón (Christmas ham), roast chicken (turkey did not gain much popularity in the Philippines), barbecued meats, pancit, among many others. Despite the fact that some families are poor, they still find a way to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ through eating, family time and merry-making.

Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply "Santa", is the figure who, in Western cultures, is described as bringing gifts on Christmas Eve, December 24^[1] or on his Feast Day, December 6.^[2] The legend may have its basis in hagiographical tales concerning the historical figure of Saint Nicholas.
The modern depiction of Santa Claus as a fat, jolly man (or gnome) wearing a red coat and trousers with white cuffs and collar, and black leather belt and boots, became popular in the United States in the 19th century due to the significant influence of caricaturist and political cartoonist Thomas Nast.^[3] This image has been maintained and reinforced through song, radio, television, and films. In the United Kingdom and Europe, his depiction is often identical to the American Santa, but he is commonly called Father Christmas.
One legend associated with Santa says that he lives in the far north, in a land of perpetual snow. The American version of Santa Claus lives at the North Pole, while Father Christmas is said to reside in Lapland. Other details include: that he is married and lives with Mrs. Claus; that he makes a list of children throughout the world, categorizing them according to their behavior; that he delivers presents, including toys, candy, and other presents to all of the good boys and girls in the world, and sometimes coal or sticks to the naughty children, in one night; and that he accomplishes this feat with the aid of magical elves who make the toys, and eight or nine flying reindeer who pull his sleigh.^[4][5]
There has long been opposition to teaching children to believe in Santa Claus. Some Christians say the Santa tradition detracts from the religious origins and purpose of Christmas. Other critics feel that Santa Claus is an elaborate lie, and that it is unethical for parents to teach their children to believe in his existence.^[6] Still others oppose Santa Claus as a symbol of the commercialization of the Christmas holiday, or as an intrusion upon their own national traditions.^[7]

*Extracted from Wikipedia

Paradise Kiss : Series Info

The purpose of this review is to give you a general impression about the series in the hope that it'll attract people to the series. Well, not that this particular series actually needs it since it already has installed loyal fanbase thanks to the manga (and I'm one of  them haha... ). In the manga, George is more of a jerk for the way he treats Yukari. However, in the anime itself he seems a much nicer person.

Original Manga
Original Title: 「パラダイス　キス」 (Paradise Kiss)
Authored by: Yazawa Ai
Serialised in: Zipper magazine

Broadcast information
Starting date: 13 October 2005
Station: Fuji TV
Animation Studio: MadHouse
Character Designer: Nobuteru Yuki

Opening Theme
Lonely in Gorgeous Clip
Performed by Tommy february6

Ending Theme
Do You Want To Clip
Performed by Franz Ferdinand

About the series
Created by Yazawa Ai, the author of the popular Nana series (I love Nana too!!!), Paradise Kiss is essentially about a group of 5 students who struggle with their love life and their future in the fashion design industry. The lead character, Hayasaka Yukari, started out as an ice-queen type of a character who wanted nothing to do with the other students when they ask her to become a model for their design. She, however, quickly becomes entangled with the group when the group's leader and main fashion designer, Koizumi 'George' Jouji, shows a personal interest in her. Jouji somehow gives me a deja vu feeling of Travis.

Despite what some people might expect, however, this is actually quite different from its Noitamina predecessor, Honey and Clover. Honey and Clover takes a much relaxed approach to its story-telling and most of its characters are actually likeable despite their flaws. Paradise Kiss, on the other hand, features a faster-paced storyline and characters that at times border on unlikeable but capable of creating conflicts and melodrama. Whether or not the series is as good or as enjoyable as Honey and Clover is subjective to what you prefer in a storyline. As for me, I hate the ending. It's just so sad...

Characters (SPOILER!!!)
Yukari "Caroline" Hayasaka [早坂紫] / Voiced by: Yu Yamada
Yukari is the heroine of the story, a high school student who is tired of the meaningless and repetitive life that has been forced upon her by her uptight mother. She eventually models for Paradise Kiss after being "kidnapped" by Isabella and whisked away to Paradise Kiss' "atelier". She is often referred to, inexplicably, as "Caroline" by Miwako.

Yukari begins the series as a pretty faced, yet rather unattractive in personality, high school senior that studies dutifully for university entrance exams. When she meets the ParaKiss crew, she begins to discover new depth to her personality and life. Her passionate and sometimes destructive relationship with George is key to this self-discovery. Yukari is competitive, quick to blame others, and desperately wants to experience more; George often points out the flaws in her personality, but admits that he finds them alluring, claiming that she was "born into this world to drive [him] crazy." At the end of the series, Yukari ends up marrying her schoolmate, Hiroyuki Tokumori. (Although this is revealed during the last volume of the manga, the last episode of the series only hints at their marriage.)

George Koizumi [小泉譲二] / Voiced by: Kenji Hamada
George is an eccentric, handsome, and extremely charismatic student of Yazagaku who has extraordinary talent with a gift for fashion design, haute couture in particular. Despite his cold demeanor, he has extravagant ideas on everything, most of which are not accepted by the general public. He wants Yukari to become an independent woman, as well as a girl that will take responsibility for her own mistakes. He considers himself bisexual, or as he says, "an equal opportunity lover"; he also makes constant reference to how good he is with knots, and offers to tie people up repeatedly. His appearance is loosely based on Brian Slade of Velvet Goldmine, and several references to the film are made by him in the manga. He has distinctive blue hair and eyes, making Yukari humorously question if he is an alien. George can come off as cold and manipulative--Arashi warns Yukari that he is "not a man that will make a woman happy"--but he deeply cares for Yukari. George is the one to steal Yukari's virginity, even mocking her for it during sex. The lifestyle that he lives is top-notch; he lives in a loft apartment and drives a vintage Jaguar, but because his mother was merely a mistress, he rarely sees his father. Regardless, his mother dryly complains that he looks and acts just like him. At the end of the series, it is shown that he has designed the costumes for a Broadway show.

Miwako Sakurada [櫻田実和子] / Voiced by: Marika Matsumoto
A student of Yazagaku who works with George to run their own brand, Paradise Kiss. She is the younger sister of the Happy Berry brand's creator/president, Mikako Kouda, who is the protagonist in Ai Yazawa's Gokinjo Monogatari work. She is exceptionally sweet and cute. Miwako tends to act in a rather childlike manner, both in her Lolita style dress and unique vocabulary. She owns a cat named Josefine. At the end of the manga, Yukari and Hiroyuki talk about Miwako, who is married with Arashi and they have a daughter named Erica, who looks more like him.

Arashi Nagase [永瀬嵐/ / Voiced by: Shunsuke Mizutani
Arashi is a student of Yazagaku with a taste for punk style, piercings, and alternative music. He is Miwako's boyfriend, they have both known each other--along with Hiroyuki Tokumori--from childhood. Miwako later reveals that she "chose" Arashi over Hiroyuki when the three of them began high school. Even though Arashi has a generally cynical, sometimes abrasive personality, he does care deeply about those around him. When the members of ParaKiss engage in outrageous behavior, Arashi is usually the voice of reason. He is the son of a musician, Kanzaki Risa, who is a good friend of Mikako Kouda. (Both characters appear in Gokinjo Monogatari.)

Daisuke "Isabella" Yamamoto [山本大助] / Voiced by: Chiharu Suzuka
Isabella is the mother figure to the members of ParaKiss. This tall Yazagaku student is the epitome of high class and femininity. Isabella inspired George's very first dress during childhood, and often had the habit of taking every piece of clothing that he finished. Isabella encourages Yukari when she needs it the most, whether it be regarding George or her abandoned studies. Notably, Isabella is actually a crossdresser, and she is mortified when anyone refers to her as 'Daisuke', her birth name.

Hiroyuki Tokumori [徳森浩行] / Voiced by: Noriyuki Uchino
Yukari's classmate, an intelligent and handsome young man who happens to be the object of Yukari's affections at the beginning of the story. Hiroyuki was once in love with Miwako, but Arashi forbade her from seeing him. He eventually falls for Yukari, who foolishly assumed that he'd never date a girl like her. The two later marry. Son of Gokinjo Monogatari character, Hiroaki Tokumori ("Toku-chan").

Kaori Aso [麻生香] / Voiced by: Miho Saiki
A former Yazagaku student who is now studying abroad. She has romantic feelings for her old friend George, but knows that he is not the type to make a woman happy.

Paradise Kiss official site from Zipper magazine