“Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la, la la la la. Tis the season to get fa-at, Fa la la la la, la la la la. ”

Christmas is synonymous with over-indulgence. So naturally, restaurants take the turkey by its giblets and get involved enhancing their menus with seasonal touches to entice all tinsel-seekers over the threshold. Therefore, a peek through the door of most London restaurants will be rewarded with a waft of cinnamon or the like. Here however, I have selected just a few Christmas menus that are running through December that sound suitably christmassy (and hopefully without tinsel - something I abhor) and some of the most wonderful places to celebrate The Big Day itself.

On 29th November The Pantechnicon, The Orange and The Thomas Cubitt are launching their Christmas menus. These are available to enjoy in the restaurants or when hiring the private spaces. Tom’s Kitchen in Chelsea is running a Christmas menu for £39.95 that is available now, with a choice of three starters, three mains and two desserts. Or head down the road to Tom Aikens where you can enjoy a sensational-sounding seasonal tasting menu for £55 per person (lunch) and £90 per person for the full tasting menu.

Club Gascon is offering a Christmas menu from 1st to 23rd December for lunch and dinner. With offerings from caviar and scallops to truffles and foie gras, just reading the menu feels like an indulgence.  If you're in Knightsbridge, The Fifth Floor in Harvey Nichols is offering two festive menus based on best seasonal produce (priced at either £45 or £65 per person) complete with a deluxe Harvey Nichols Christmas cracker. Kettner’s in Soho is offering a Christmas menu for £45 per person (to include Norfolk Bronze Turkey with Trimmings) and Café Luc in stylish Marylebone (perfectly peppered with great places for Christmas shopping) has three Christmas menus available (£38/ £45/ £65) .

If you are looking to leave the marathon of Christmas Day cooking up to someone else, there are some fantastic places open on the 25th.

One of the most reasonably priced Christmas lunches is available at The Bluebird, which is offering a three-course lunch for £75 per person, available from 12pm. Expect to find a menu crammed full of all the seasonal goodies. For the first time, Boundary will also be open for lunch on Christmas Day. The price is £90 per person, which includes champagne and canapés on arrival and a festive three-course lunch.

Personally, I believe hotels are the best for delivering festively fantastic Christmas Day offerings. Mark Hix, Director of Food, and Marcus Verberne, Executive Chef, have created a range of tempting menus at Hix at The Albermarle in Brown's Hotel which can be enjoyed on Christmas Day for £235 per person. Ritz Restaurant is offering a traditional luncheon on Christmas Day in the glorious 18th Century setting of The Music Room, the Hotel’s grandest private dining salon. Featuring a traditional four-course menu with all the trimmings, guests will also be visited by Father Christmas who will have a gift for all the children (£250 per person /£125 per child). And The Langham Hotel is offering a three-course traditional Christmas lunch for £290 inclusive of lunch, a Champagne reception and wine chosen by the Sommelier to accompany each course.

Sounds like hassle-free holiday heaven to me.