Reality check.

Sometimes it seems Christmas cheer gives way to Christmas chores: Like chickens with their heads cut off, we scramble to meet holiday mailing deadlines, brave malls for last-minute bargains and slave away in kitchens to prepare festive feasts.

"Bah, humbug!" you say?

If the Scrooge in you needs some Christmas inspiration, consider going out for a drive.

Residents islandwide have once again taken the time to deck their homes — and lift our spirits — with a hodgepodge of holiday goodies, such as the dancing Santa Claus on the garage of the Cortez family's Waipahu home, or the Kojima family's 8-foot inflatable snowman in Wahiawa.

A common addition to many homes this year are characters from Disney's animated films "Finding Nemo" and "Brother Bear," as well as patriotic displays with illuminated American flags in support of our soldiers abroad.

Regulars such as John "Freddy" and Gwen Torres of Mililani and Richard and Dawn Freeman of Lanikai continue holiday decorating traditions that began more than 40 years ago. Check out the Torres family's Santa's workshop in their garage, which includes nearly 100 animated dolls. The Freemans once again have set up their Christmas village, complete with a working train.

Some families continue to outdo themselves from previous years with elaborate exhibits, such as the Allen family of Manoa. After more than 25 years, their décor now includes more than 50 plastic and lighted cartoon characters, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Snoopy. New this year are a gingerbread house, gingerbread man and whimsical reindeer. The family, longtime donors for the Blood Bank, have also included a "Give the Gift of Life" banner as part of their Christmas message.

Others are even welcoming visitors into their homes for a peek at their indoor displays. Allan Wallace — creator of the 55-square-foot Christmas village at First Hawaiian Bank's Waikiki branch — has his own version of a Christmas town in his Waikiki apartment. Gabrielle Collins of 'Ewa Beach also will open her townhouse doors to anyone wanting to see her "visual wonderland" of about a dozen fiber-optic Christmas trees, which constantly change colors in intense, shimmering hues.

So if your daunting list of holiday tasks seems never-ending, maybe it's time to take a breather. Just for a night, step away from the madness, load the kids into the car, and enjoy the yuletide lights and sights.

• Downtown — The 19th annual Honolulu City Lights will be on display throughout the downtown area nightly starting Saturday (and continuing through Jan. 4) and carries the theme "Jingle All the Way." Joining the giant Santa and Tutu Mele sculptures this year will be two 19-foot turtles carrying poi, laulau and other local foods on their backs. The display of Christmas trees and wreaths inside Honolulu Hale can be viewed 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily throughout December.

• Downtown — Fort Street. Tens of thousands of lights will adorn the palm trees and the orchid trees on Fort Street, between Beretania and Queen streets, courtesy of the Fort Street Business Improvement District Association. See the lights 5:30 to 10 nightly through Jan. 2.

• Downtown — 225 S. Queen St., Apt. 23C. Ron Schaeffer's lanai, which faces Alakea Street, has 300 white hanging icicle lights, 500 colored chasing lights, 500 white chasing lights and a Christmas tree shaped out of a string of 250 colored lights.

• Kapalama — 1420 Kapalama Ave. Visitors to John and Isabel Silva's home will find a sleigh with lights, penguins, a Hawaiian Santa, a snowman, elves, reindeer, as well as a gingerbread house, gingerbread train, tree and lighted wreath, and a lighted display centered on a nativity scene.

• Nu'uanu — 2661 Pu'unui Ave. Approximately 10,000 lights illuminate the Denis home.

• Pauoa — 2331 Booth Road. Noble Ing and family — sons Darryl and Darwin, and daughter Darlene Ching — are back to present a display carrying the themes "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" and "Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus." Visitors can play "Where's Waldo?" by searching for the hidden Waldo among the decorations, which include cartoon characters from Charlie Brown, "Sesame Street" and other kiddie classics.

• Punchbowl — 1553 Miller St. Lindy Franca and family have more than 50 lighted figurines, including Santas, snowmen, carolers, Winnie-the-Pooh, a 5-foot wreath, nativity scene and Santa in a sleigh with all his reindeer.

• Punchbowl — 1614 Emerson St. The residents at Ocean View Apartments get into the Christmas spirit by illuminating the three-story, 24-unit building. Lights will be strung along the walkways and around doors, windows, the parking lot, and pool and picnic areas.

• Makiki — Kapahu Street. Many homes along this street and throughout the new Kalawahine neighborhood are decked out in lights.

• Manoa — McKinley Street. Last year nearly all 50 homes on the street were lit up, and visitors can probably expect the same this season. The centerpiece of the display is the Lower Manoa Neighborhood Watch Garden, which features a lighted flying reindeer. Neighbors will celebrate their 5th annual Light Up McKinley Street event Dec. 7.

• Manoa — 2672 Lowrey Ave. This year the Allen family continues its holiday decorating tradition that started more than 25 years ago with a display that features more than 50 characters, a nativity scene, several Santas, Frosty, carolers, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Snoopy. New this year are a gingerbread house, gingerbread man and whimsical reindeer. The family, longtime Blood Bank donors, also have included a "Give the Gift of Life" banner as part of their Christmas message.

• McCully — 723 Hau'oli St. A singing snowman and mechanical reindeer are among the new attractions at the home of Stanette and Raphael Vares Jr. Back again are animated singing elves, a bear-themed house and gingerbread house, and Santa and Mrs. Claus. Also look for Santa's Christmas Countdown, a mechanical rocking horse, a bow display with working elves, an antique lighted hanging ornament and a nativity scene with choir boys.

• Waikiki — 2181 Kalakaua Ave. Allan Wallace's annual "Allantown" again will grace the lobby of First Hawaiian Bank's Waikiki branch. The 55-square-foot Christmas village features 36 structures. See the display through Jan. 2. Wallace also has a Christmas town display — a much smaller version — on his lanai at 425 Ena Road, Apt. 101B. He has several houses, including Santa's house, Rudolph's refuge and an elf's house. For a private viewing, call 945-0137.

• Waikiki — 2421 Ala Wai Blvd., Apt. 1401. The lanai of Richard Larson beams with a lighted nativity display, holiday signs and other lights.

• Kapahulu — 854 Lukepane Ave. Roger Mitchell presents his annual display of animated figures: elves, Hawaiian family snowmen, a drummer boy, carolers, Santa and Mrs. Claus, Santa on skates and Santa with a jet plane. There's also a nativity scene, Santa's village, toy soldiers and a Christmas tree.

• Kaimuki — 1248 Wilhelmina Rise. Phil Akau has brought back his arrangement of lights, a Santa, Frosty the Snowman, Christmas stockings and other decorations.

• Hawai'i Kai — 954 Maniniholo St. Alan Hughgill presents his annual lawn arrangement with reindeer, a nativity scene, snowmen and Santas.

• Hawai'i Kai — 530 Kaumakani St. Walter M. Tanaka's home is adorned with strings of more than 7,000 lights, an illuminated American flag, doves, Santa's train, a bell with a ribbon, wreath, Christmas tree and snowman.

Windward O'ahu

• Waimanalo — 41-310 Kawahine Place. Kamaka and Tiga Kaneakua began their tradition for the kids nearly 20 years ago; now Hawn, Rambo and Kamaha'o pitch in, covering the house with brick-design corrugated paper and stringing it with lights. Check out their festive assortment: Mr. and Mrs. Claus, Disney characters, sculptures, candles, a manger, soldiers, inflatable Santa, snowmen, lighted palm trees, Christmas tree, bears, angels, train set, Christmas signs and more. See the display 6 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 6 to 10 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, Dec. 10 through New Year's.

• Kailua — 1170 'Akumu St. Mike and Peecee Brede Sr. have decked their home with lots of lights and inflatables to celebrate the holiday season.

• Kailua — 409 Kaimake Loop. The McWilliams' entire home is stringed with lights. There's also lighted reindeer and messages in lights, including "Merry Christmas" and "Peace on Earth," on their roof.

• Lanikai — 215 Ka'elepulu Drive. For more than 40 years, Richard and Dawn Freeman have treated their neighbors to an elaborate display that includes a waving Santa on their roof, "Roscoe" the 7-foot snowman in their yard and a Christmas village complete with a working train. The living room, kitchen and bedroom windows will also be aglow with various lights and animated figures.

• Kane'ohe — 47-269F Hui 'Iwa St. More than 50 Disney plywood cut-outs with lights adorn the home of Todd Nakaoka. Disney music will play nightly through the first week of January. Their holiday decorations were even featured twice in Disney Magazine's 2001 and 2002 winter issues.

• Kane'ohe — 45-104 Waikapoki Road. The front of the Parker family's house is lined with lights on the fence and along the roof. Also check out their 16-foot Christmas tree on the roof with a huge Santa.

• Kane'ohe — 46-201 'Ohala St. Andrea Rodrigues-Gum and her dad, Mel Rodrigues, have nearly two dozen lighted signs and decorations throughout their home. There's also a train set in the front yard and a collection of other décor, including a 6-foot inflatable bear, Disney characters, drummer boys, Tigger, a nativity scene with angels, Snoopy Santa, Santa Bear, soldiers, candy canes and more.

• Kane'ohe — Wena Street. Several houses on this street will be glowing by mid-December, showcasing toyland schemes and a range of holiday and cartoon figures.

• Kane'ohe — Namoku Street. Several families on this street are getting into the holiday spirit, including Lois and Kimo Lake's annual wonderland at 47-365, which features a dozen reindeer decked out in lights grazing on the lawn and roof, and a festive Snoopy and life-size Santa overseeing the celebration. There are lights and ornaments everywhere.

• Kane'ohe — 45-611 Pu'ohala St. William Vogel has icicle lights on the eaves and more lights on the fence and windows of his home. There's a manger scene, as well as lots of Santas.

• Kane'ohe — 'Ahuimanu Road. The homes at 47-495 and 47-450, both side by side, will be loaded with color. Check out their display of Disney characters, a giant Christmas tree with green light running through each branch and a huge cactus that looks like a volcano ready to erupt.

• 'Ahuimanu — Hui Koloa Place. There are few undecorated windows on this street (visiting "Christmas Lane" is a Windward tradition).

Leeward O'ahu

• Waipahu — 94-383 Hene St. The Harbor View home of Vic and Martha Carvalho features a manger scene, Santa and Mrs. Santa, Snoopy, bears, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, Santa train and village. Lights will be stringed around the house and fence. Check out the display 7 to 11 p.m. daily, from Dec. 5 through New Year's.

• Waipahu — 94-801 Lumi Place. Susan and Terry Lohrey have put up lights around the house, net lights on the trees and lighted reindeer on the roof.

• Waipahu — 94-313 Kiokio Place. Now in their 13th year decorating, Loretta Domingo and family will deck the halls with thousands of lights and about 100 cartoon characters, including characters from "Finding Nemo," "Shrek," "Monsters, Inc.," "South Park," "A Bug's Life," "Power Puff Girls" and "Lilo & Stitch."

• Waipahu — 94-1108 Kahuamo St. Reindeer, a 5-foot star and nativity scene decorate the roof of Sammy and Cora Cortez's home, along with Santa Claus, an angel, a snowman and American, Hawaiian and Filipino flags. The entire house is trimmed with strings of 10,000 lights. On the garage, you'll find Minnie and Mickey, a dancing Santa, Santa on a reindeer, three angels, two drummer boys and more.

• Waipahu — 94-1023 Heahea St. The lights that Robert Workman put on his home are for pilots only. There's an outline of a huge helicopter on his roof. "The next time you fly north of Harborview Intersection at the southern edge of the south practice area, check them out," Workman wrote via e-mail.

• 'Ewa Beach — 91-1016 Mikohu St., Unit 19A. Gabrielle Collins has put together a "visual wonderland" of about a dozen fiber-optic Christmas trees in her Palm Villas townhouse. Collins welcomes private showings of the collection, which constantly changes colors in intense, shimmering hues. Call: 685-3950.

• 'Ewa Beach — 91-1541 Keonekapu St. The top floor of this home is illuminated, adding to the display Etta Moiha and her mother Marion Lassiter have created. There's mechanical deer and a Christmas tree with a star on the roof and a 5-foot Santa in the carport. Visitors also will find an assembly of wooden cartoon characters, Santa and Mrs. Claus, animated dolls, Christmas trees, a nativity scene, 8-foot snowman, lighted train set and a winter wonderland village Lassiter built.

• 'Ewa Beach — 91-1668 Laupa'i St. Mr. and Mrs. Lyndon Pacheco's home will feature wooden displays of Santa's elves trying to lift him up on the roof, a snowman, "Happy Holidays" sign held by two penguins, a "Joy to the World" sign held by angels, and a Santa chair for photo-taking.

• 'Ewa Beach — 91-1146 Haiano Place. Frank and Wanda Suster's home will have 5,000 lights and a collection of more than 100 plywood cut-out characters, including a life-size Santa and Mrs. Santa. There also will be a sled with reindeer, a large manger scene and a wooden train set with elves. Lights will be on daily from 6 to10 p.m., tomorrow through Dec. 25.

• Makakilo — 92-677 Palailai St. The home of Richard and Lisa Cabane and Chanell and Kaycha Maramba is decked out with a nativity set, Santa, snowman, elves, reindeer and many more decorations.

• Makakilo — Aka'ula Street. About a dozen houses on this block are decorated, including the home of Barb Hall and Mary Fouste at 92-372. They have nene, a snowman, Santa and lots of lights.

• Kapolei — 91-1051 Kolili St. The home of Ricky, Donna, Meme and Tom Miller is trimmed in white and red lights.

• Kapolei — 91-1049 Keokolo St. At their home in Kekuilani Villages, Greg and Ann Piamonte have decorated with a nativity scene, lighted reindeer, wooden cutouts, the Seven Dwarfs and more.

• Nanakuli — 89-089 'Aone Place. Al and Becky Ayau have dolled up their home with lights and their yard with Christmas trees, reindeer, and characters from "Finding Nemo," "Lilo & Stitch" and more.

• Nanakuli — 87-1029-A Hakimo Road. Bob and Julie Herodias have erected more than 200 lighted figures and 10,000 lights around their home, featuring a nativity scene, North Pole scene, Disney and Winnie-the-Pooh displays, and more. Lights are on 6:30 to 10 nightly tomorrow through Dec. 26.

Central O'ahu and North Shore

• 'Aiea — 98-801 D Ka'onohi St. The front yard and balcony of the Lee family's two-story townhouse will be decked out with strings of lights and lighted figures. Their porch also will be decorated with lights, and in the window will be a display of animated dolls.

• 'Aiea — 98-1603 Ka'ahumanu St. Misti Benoza's décor includes Mickey Mouse and Goofy, an angel scene, a decorated tree in the yard, and more.

• 'Aiea — Ho'olaua'e Street. Around the corner from the Benoza residence, two homes are worth a look. The Matias family — including grandchildren Kingsley, Kash, Kasey, Justin, Jonathan and Jaclyn — have decorated the yard and house at 98-1616 with 10,000 lights, Disney and "Sesame Street" characters, Care Bears, a snow family, nativity scene, 32 lighted Santas, a Norfolk pine and patriotic wreaths. At 98-1649, Billy Malama has a wrought-iron American flag edged in lights. Also look for a whale, "Blues Clues" and "Lion King" characters, little snails and a rabbit amid the old-standby volcano, star, monkey, Diamond Head, alligator, dolphin, owl, pegasus, Barney, a fishpond with fish and duck, poinsettias, gorilla, pig, crescent moon, and much more.

• 'Aiea — 'Auhau Place. If you're in 'Aiea, drop by this short street, where a few neighbors decorate each year. All of the decorations are expected to be up in about a week.

• 'Aiea — 99-149 Kulina St. The Andres family has lighted their home inside and out.

• Pearl City — 98-1297 Ho'ohuali Place. The 27th annual display of the Aki family will take on the theme, "Up, up and away!" with Santa and his entire team of reindeer leading the way. Nearly a dozen members of the family have put together a kiddieland complete with Frosty, Snoopy, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and Winnie-the-Pooh and Tigger. There also are three Christmas trees sparkling with 2,100 multicolored lights with two lighted Santa's Express Trains circling the trees. There's even a salute to the armed forces with a display of soldiers, drummers and the American flag lit in red, white and blue.

• Mililani — 95-533 Wailoa Loop. John "Freddy" and Gwen Torres added characters from "Finding Nemo" and "Brother Bear" to their holiday display, which began more than 40 years ago. Old favorites include Santa's workshop in their garage, with about 100 animated dolls. Thousands of lights enhance their entire display. A life-size nativity scene on the roof overlooks the many Disney characters that fill the yard. The official lighting will be Friday.

• Milliani — Neleau Place. All nine families of this cul-de-sac have joined together again to illuminate their homes (and the neighborhood) with traditional seasonal favorites, like Santas and reindeer, as well as various character themes, including "Finding Nemo," "Lilo & Stitch," "Spider-man" and "SpongeBob SquarePants." Other cartoon characters also will make an appearance, including Pokémon and Scooby-Doo.

• Mililani — 94-165 Kuahelani Ave., Apts. 173-180. In this cul-de-sac of Hokuala Hale townhouses, neighbors have decorated with lights, including a Santa and sleigh, snowmen, nativity scene, gingerbread house, a Harry Potter character, and a moving train on the roof.

• Wahiawa — 171 Karsten Drive. There will be a display of more than 7,000 lights at the Kojima residence. Check out their 8-foot inflatable snowman, moving reindeer and lighted candy-cane pathway. There's also a display of 10 Christmas trees: two indoor (which can be seen through the picture window) and eight outdoor.

• Waialua — 66-905 Alena Loop. Mr. and Mrs. Julian Rillamas Jr. — along with children Gina, Doral, Jimbo, Alissa, Lavina and Jonathan, and grandchildren Easter-Lily, April-May, Decembers Christmas Noel and Oursavior — have outdone themselves again. Their display will include a musical and animated Santa Claus, Mr. and Mrs. Snowman, a sleigh with Rudolph and the other reindeer, nativity scene, miniature Christmas village, lighted candy canes, and an assortment of animated dolls and bears surrounded by colorful Christmas lights.