Getting ready for Christmas? Here are 8 Florida cities to visit to get in the holiday mood

Florida isn't really the place most people think of, when they think of "Christmas."

We have plenty of festive lights and local celebrations, but generally not a lot of quaint, snow-covered villages. We have fir trees, but very few reindeer. Not many of our homes come complete with fireplaces, unless you count patio barbecues. Our Christmas postcards invariably include a Santa in swim trunks, possibly near an alligator. The latest forecast for Christmas Day is for temps in the 70s, and rainy.

And yet when photo book site Mixbook ranked the 75 American towns with the "strongest Christmas vibes," based on a poll, they picked Clearwater as the 29th most Chrismassy, and St. Augustine as No. 54. Take that, Woodstock, Vermont!

Here are the places to go in the Sunshine State to get into the Christmas mood.

St. Augustine lights up the town

Do you like Christmas lights? You're probably not going to find more than the amazing spectacle of the Nation's Oldest City's "Nights of Lights," when they deck out their Spanish Colonial architecture every year with more than 3 million bulbs to set the skyline aglow.

According to its website, the lights adorn the city's downtown sidewalks to the rooftops, over the Bridge of Lions, along historic buildings, public spaces, hotels, restaurants, and inns throughout approximately 20 blocks of the historic district.

When HGTV released its list of the best small "Christmas towns" in every state and picked St. Augustine to represent Florida, saying, "No American city has done Christmas longer than St. Augustine."

"Visitors and locals enjoy festive carriage rides, boat tours along the illuminated Matanzas River, and walking tours that showcase the city's rich history and festive décor," Mixbook said in a release. "St. Augustine's unique Spanish heritage is also highlighted in its holiday traditions, adding a distinct flavor to the Christmas celebrations."

Clearwater has an electric light boat parade

Clearwater, like most cities and towns, has its Christmas celebrations and events. But they also have the annual "Holiday Lighted Boat Parade," which Mixbook liked for the "nautical charm" of the "boats adorned with festive lights and decorations" in the Intracoastal Waterway, a nice change to the traditional holiday parades.

There are frankly, lots of amazing decorated holiday boat parades in Florida in just about every city near a body of water, including nearby St. Petersburg and Tarpon Springs, but they didn't make Mixbook's list. Check your local events listings.

Christmas, Florida. There you go.

Christmas, Florida, halfway between Orlando and Titusville, isn't really the most Christmassy place in the state. The quiet, tiny census-designated place had just 2,439 people in the 2020 census, many of whom work in a different town, and not much in the way of big celebrations.

It does boast the world's largest alligator-shaped building (over 200 feet) and lots of Orlando TV station transmission towers, though. The town was included in John Green's novel, "Paper Towns" about teens searching for a missing friend among abandoned housing subdivisions near Orlando.

But visitors are greeted by a giant decorated tree all year long, and some residents keep their homes decorated year-round. And there are a lot of visitors around this time of year as they line up to get their holiday mail postmarked from the suddenly-very-busy Christmas Post Office and maybe get their cards and parcels stamped with festive commemorative images by Santa himself.

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Mount Dora, lit up and picture-perfect

If you've ever wanted the feeling of walking through a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie picture-perfect small town, just come to Mount Dora and enjoy the many antique shops, art galleries and annual festivals as you stroll around the downtown area or head out by Lake Dora to enjoy the beautiful vista and occasional seaplane landing.

And every year, they give St. Augustine a run for its money with the Light Up Mount Dora event. This will be the 42nd annual event, when thousands of people come to see more than two million lights, musical performances, an aerial display, fireworks, a 40-foot Christmas tree and an appearance from Santa.

Orlando: This Mouse is stirring

Orlando has plenty of holiday displays, from the lights at Lake Eola to the magical tour of 1.6 million lights at the Give Kids the World Village to the dazzling display at the 50-acre Harry P. Leu Gardens to the Dinos in Lights exhibit at the Orlando Science Center. But what might have contributed to Orlando being the No. 1 holiday destination around the country, according to AAA, is Disney World, and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

The party started in November, actually, and runs through Dec. 22 on select nights. There are special treats, complimentary seasonal sweets and beverages, character meet-and-greets you won't get any other time of the year, big holiday show extravaganzas, and "snow" falling from the sky. The party starts at 7 p.m. and runs to midnight, and you will need a separate ticket to attend.

Miami went full Christmas theme park

If Florida is somewhat less Christmassy than the rest of the states, Miami may be less Christmassy than other places in Florida. It can be hard to get into the yuletide spirit with 80-degree weather.

But it makes up for it with Santa's Enchanted Forest, the world's largest holiday theme park, now celebrating its 40th year with more than 100 attractions, rides, games and shows. See acrobats, magic shows, holiday displays, Santa Claus and many, many light displays, or ride the rides including the massive Ferris Wheel. Open through Jan. 7, 2024.

West Palm Beach invokes the sandy clause

You think your city has a big Christmas tree?

The one in West Palm Beach weighs 700 tons. Its name is Sandi.

Every year a new 35-foot sculpted holiday sand tree arises by the waterfront with thousands of lights synchronized to music, because that's how we do things in Florida. Along with other sand sculptures, in December Sandi becomes a centerpiece of a month of nightly music and light shows, with faux snow falling at The Square.

Or you can drive around and check out Delray Beach's 100-foot Christmas tree, or go to Palm Beach to check out the annual surfboard tree at The Royal Poinciana Plaza, created every year by different artists and designers. This year, the tree will be giving you the signature red, white and blue stripes of designer Thom Browne.

Florida, Palm Beach County traditions: Faux snow, giant sand Christmas trees, surfing Santas

Key West's Christmas party lasts a month, because Key West

If you're going to have a Florida Christmas, you might as well go full Florida and hit Key West. It's not a winter wonderland but it's a town that knows how to party with the month-long celebration of the tropical holiday, Key West Holiday Fest.

Take the Walk of Lights from Lazy Way Lane to the Ferry Terminal at Grinnell Street to see "light-bedecked palm trees, Christmas trees, ships, shops, restaurants and watering holes," according to KeyWestInns.com. Take a trolley tour, see the spectacular parades on land and sea, get out for the 5K Rudolph Nose Run, visit the ice skating rink at Key West Waterfront Winter Wonderland, and enjoy the many musical performances.

Or just hang out at the beach because it's still Florida and why not enjoy it?

Samantha Neely, USA TODAY Network-Florida, contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Florida's best Christmas towns. 8 worth visiting this holiday season