TRAVEL BEAT : FLOATING HOLIDAY.

Byline: Carol Bidwell

Christmas paradegoers can huddle together to ward off the seashore's chill while watching yuletide boat parades in at least three communities.

In Oxnard's Channel Islands Harbor at Victoria Avenue and Channel Islands Boulevard, lighted and decorated boats will go on parade at 7 p.m. Saturday. The parade caps a day of harbor activities, including play-in-the-snow fun for kids from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and an arts festival from 11 a.m.. to 9 p.m. Information: [phone].

In Newport Beach Harbor, more than 150 decorated and lighted boats will parade beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday; the seagoing show will continue nightly through Dec. 23. Information: [phone].

And in Los Angeles Harbor in San Pedro, Christmas Afloat - the 33rd annual parade of decorated boats - will set sail at 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Four tall ships - the Californian, the Hawaiian Chieftain, the Lady Washington and the Swift of Ipswitch - will be in the parade; a limited number of tickets ($15 for adults, $8 for kids 10 and younger) will be sold for rides on the sailing ships. Reservations and information: [phone].

Snow opportunity for kids

Kids up to 12 years old can frolic free in 14 tons of specially delivered snow beginning at 10 a.m.. Saturday at the Community Recreation Center, 30875 Rancho Vista Road, Temecula. Information: [phone].

Dickens performs `Carol'

Gerald Charles Dickens, British actor and the great-great grandson of author Charles Dickens, will perform excerpts of his famous ancestor's tale, ``A Christmas Carol,'' at a special holiday dinner Dec. 19 at the Ojai Valley Inn, 905 Country Club Drive, Ojai. Dinner begins at 6 p.m.; cost is $35 for adults, $17.50 for children under 12; children 5 and under are free. Reservations: [phone].

Queenly New Year's Eve

There's still time to book passage aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach for the New Year's Eve gala that will mark the end of the ship's 60th anniversary year - but don't plan on staying the night. Every cabin in the ship's hotel has been sold out since October, although there may be a few last-minute cancellations.

The party - with seven separate shipboard live entertainment venues - will run 8 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and costs $45 per person, including parking; dinner is not included. Guests must be at least 21 to attend. Tickets: [phone].