Unfortunately, the main problem you're facing is not the photographer, but the camera. Point-and-shoot cameras cannot open their aperture wide enough to get a strong bokeh effect. F3.5 simple isn't large enough to get a real good result. That, and the fact that the sensor is not a large as a film back or full-frame camera makes it even more difficult.
The only way you will be able to get those nice lit circles to show up, is if the out of focus light is very large, and very far away.
I suppose you could take shots of just bokeh, and add them into images digitally, but that sort've defeats the purpose huh?
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