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Even though Christmas Day is more than a month away, there are festive celebrations popping up around Central Florida in the form of Santa photo ops and holiday celebrations.

From the merry and bright Asian Lantern Festival at the Central Florida Zoo to Light Up Mount Dora and Dazzling Nights , there are more than a dozen ways to kick off the holiday season early in the greater Orlando area. Here are some ideas.

The Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild is back for its annual event with handmade lanterns, including a flying unicorn at the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Sanford. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel)

Asian Lantern Festival

Visit the Central Florida Zoo after dark and walk a 3/4-mile loop to see animals and

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