The Christmas Ships Parade is an intriguing celebration. It involves Christmas-themed watercraft moving about the rivers of Portland. The displays are similar to Christmas lights at residential areas. Bringing a fleece is advised due to cold, maritime weather. At the urging of a relative, I joined the crowd in viewing it. I saw it at the M. James Gleason Memorial Boat Ramp. It was chilly, bearable in most of Portland, but hey, if you add water into the mix, that really alters things towards being not just cold, but unbearably cold. Some of the displays were very beautiful and even tended towards stories. However, with the internet, this parade and, or a similar one can be watched online and this does not have the local flavor and interactivity of say the Rose Parade. It’s your call as there is no fee to view the parade.