Using the SCENE mode
Christmas is a special season of beautiful night scenes with decorative lights all around. The decorative lights are gorgeous to the eye, but when you try to take a picture very often the result is a dark and dull picture that fails to convey the beauty of the moment. In such cases, try using the [SCENE] modes.

Use the [SCENE] mode's [NIGHT SCENE] mode to take pictures of decorative lights
Setting the flash mode to flash off when using the Program Auto (P) mode or the  modes will result in slower shutter speeds. That way you can capture the special atmosphere of the decorative lights. But if the subject is too far, everything in the picture except the decorative lights will be too dark and the lights themselves will come out as simple dots in the picture. With the [SCENE] mode's [NIGHT SCENE], even slower shutter speeds are used so you can really bring out the atmosphere of the real-life scene. That atmosphere will be even stronger if you use exposure compensation as well.

Compare the difference of pictures taken using the Program Auto (P) and [SCENE] modes

Compare the difference of using exposure compensation

Useful things to remember

You can take pictures of night scenes without using slow shutter speeds by increasing the ISO sensitivity, but the picture may seem grainier due to image noise. With the [NIGHT SCENE] mode, lower ISO sensitivities are used even in dark places so you can get better quality pictures of night scenes. Open "Useful Tips: ISO sensitivity, tripods, noise and picture quality"
Since slower shutter speeds are used for night scenes, holding the camera in your hands to take the picture often results in camera blur. Stabilize the camera by using a tripod or other similar equipment.
When you are using a tripod to take pictures of night scenes, using the self-timer will prevent the camera blur that occurs at the moment of pressing the shutter button.