Have you noticed? As the old song says, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas."

From the Honolulu Hale and Ala Moana Center, to our high rise condos and hillside homes, colorful Christmas lights are sparkling nearly everywhere. And, as usual, O`ahu's recreational boating community is getting into the holiday spirit as well.

Boat by boat, in every marina, strings of lights are being hoisted up masts and hung along handrails to create displays that are as elaborate as the owners' imaginations.

The colorful lights tend to empathize the naturally graceful lines of each boat and then, of course, the image is reflected off the surrounding water for a doubly stunning impression.

There is another advantage the boating community has over land-based lighting displays, along with their natural reflection pools they have mobility.

With the use of portable generators and other mobile power sources, boat owners can unplug from the dock to take part in the annual Christmas boat parades that light up our shorelines and marinas this month.

Weather permitting, the season's first boat parade will take place tomorrow evening on O`ahu's Windward side.

The Makani Kai Yacht Club has announced that all interested boaters should meet at the "D" buoy in Kaneohe Bay at 5 p.m. to take part in its Parade of Lights to Kaneohe Yacht Club and back.

Likely locations for viewing this parade will be at the MKYC, the Kaneohe Beach Park, the KYC and the Kaneohe Bay Lookout on the H-3 freeway.

On Dec. 14, Senator Bob Hogue will be the Master of Ceremonies for the Hawaii Kai Boat Parade. Joining him will be Kim Gennaula & Guy Hagi (KGMB 9), Kathy Muneno (KITV 4), Noelani Cypriano and HECO President Mike May. The boats will start lining up at 5:30 p.m. and parade around the marina for about one hour.

For boaters, residents and visitors in and near Waikiki, the Hawaii Yacht Club will be running its eighth annual Honolulu Christmas Boat Parade on Dec. 14.

As this parade is a fund-raiser for the Harbor House as well as a boat decorating contest, boat owners who would like to take part are asked to make a donation of $20 with their entry. Every boat entered will be given four tickets to the post-parade awards buffet dinner.

The theme for the Honolulu Christmas Boat Parade will be "A Hawaiian Kine Christmas" and the decorating categories list is as long as it is colorful.

There will be prizes for boats with the most animated, creative, nautical, tropical and spiritual decorations, but they must all be Hawaiian-style.

And there will be other prizes for the boats that are lit up the brightest, show the most Aloha Spirit, are the funniest, have the cutest keiki, have the best hula dancers, feature paniolo, or are just generally the most "da kine."

The HYC's boat parade will begin congregating at 5:30 p.m. in the turning basin opposite the club and will eventually make its way out of the harbor and be visible from most of Waikiki.

Mele Kalikimaka from O`ahu's boating community to you.