If you're thinking of having your Christmas Eve or Christmas dinner out, it's more than time to make reservations .

Of course, all the major hotels will be serving special meals. For example, The Royal Hawaiian Hotel will be opening the Monarch Room for a lavish buffet with entertainment by the Hawaiian Trio from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 25; $150 adults, $75 for children 5 to 12; under 4 free. (Reservations: 921-4600; www.royal-hawaiian.com; credit card confirmation required.)

Many restaurants will be open. Among them is Alan Wong's (right), serving its usual menu plus a fixed-price multicourse holiday meal Dec. 24 and 25 that starts with 'ahi tartare and ends with Wong Way Fruitcake Bread Pudding. Hours are 4:30 to 10 p.m. both nights; price is $85. (Reservations : 949-2526.) Also open: Chef Mavro (four- or six-course menus from $84 and $128, respectively; reservations a must: 944-4714); The Willows (lunch and dinner, special menu from $39.95; 952-9200); Wolfgang's Steakhouse (special menu to be announced; 922-3600). Check with your favorites.

P.S. Alan Wong's Wong Way Chocolate Toffee Macadamia Nuts are on sale at the restaurant; 8 ounces for $15.

When you're grocery shopping this season, add a little something to your cart: a tear-off coupon for Check-Out Hunger, sponsored by Kraft Foods in Hawaii and benefiting the Hawaii Foodbank.

Participating stores will scan the coupons, which come in one of three amounts: $2.81 (feeds a child breakfast for a week), $12.43 (feeds a senior lunch for a month) or $16.84 (feeds a family dinner for a week). The stores include Safeway, Times, Don Quijote, Tamura's, Kokua Market and KTA Superstores.

— Wanda A. Adams