Christmas

With the usual celebrations at Halloween and Guy Fawkes night looking to be a little more subdues this year, the Christmas season is starting earlier than ever. And let's be honest, we're going to need a lot of cheer this year. 

First up is 34 who have already brought back their Miracle at 34 makeover in a team-up with Nyetimer. Essentially this means that every single inch of the restaurant is covered in some kind of Christmas

If you're the kind of person who goes full-on crazy for Christmas, then you'll be wanting to stop by Mayfair restaurant 34 at some point over the festive period. As this picture shows they've got ever so slightly OTT with their decorations this year.

The installation called Miracle at 34 has turned the restaurant interior into something resembling a major shop's Christmas department, featuring no fewer than 14,000 decorations and 8.400

For their tenth annual Christmas tree unveiling, Claridge's have completely outdone themselves. This year, the tree - designed by shoemaker to the stars Christian Louboutin - comes complete with a festive train carriage you can dine in.

The Loubi Express takes up the section of the hotel's lobby under the stairs. Looking for the world like something you'd see an animated Tom Hanks welcoming you aboard, the

Another modern heralding of Christmas in the capital (along with the arrival of Christmas sandwiches) is the opening of various skating rinks around town, but the big one has always been Skate at Somerset House. Now in its 20th year, the rink is being sponsored, once again, by Fortnums.

What that means is there's a whole host of lovely food

In the run-up to the commercial moneyfest that is Christmas, it's always nice to have something to remind us that this time of year can also be, you know, about doing something nice for others.

So we're pleased to hear that once again StreetSmart are launching their annual fundraising campaign, working with London restaurants to raise money for vulnerable and homeless members of their local community during November and

Ready or not, we're starting to gear up for Christmas (and once 5 November is passed, be prepared for a deluge of Christmas fare). One very popular event that's back is also one of the kitschiest - the Miracle pop-up bar is coming back to the Henrietta Hotel in Covent Garden.

They're popular across the States, but once again, The Henrietta is hosting the only UK pop-up. So you can expect a LOT

If you've been wondering what lies behind the foil wrapped doors of Selfridges Ultralounge on their lower ground floor (we spotted it this weekend and stole in for a quick look) then let us enlighten you.

It's all part of an adult-only cabaret extravaganza that's been devised for the Oxford Street store for the festive season. Glyn Fussell, the co-founder and Creative Director of East Creative, is responsible for the revue while folk including drag stars

If you're as partial to a bit of Baileys as we are come Christmas then you'll probably be pretty merry to hear that their Christmas pop up Treat Bar is coming back.

They popped up last year serving up boozy hot chocolate, cocktails and other treats and they're back again. So you can order up one of their specials - like Made in Chelsea folk or The Marshmallowist Oonagh Simm's limited edition Baileys marshmallows served over the classic on ice or salted

If you want to eat well and do something for others this Christmas - then head straight to Covent Garden where Cook for Syria is launching a popup cafe and takeaway in the heart of Seven Dials - open from this weekend until Christmas Eve. The popup cafe, on the middle of Monmouth St, will serve mezze dishes by the Syrian chef Imad Alarnab, from the much-loved Imad’s Syrian Kitchen popup: he’ll be making delicious plates of hummus and labneh and babaghanoush which

Looking for presents for the non-meateater in your life or something vegan for the Christmas feast? Well there's a vegan pop-up heading to Camden Market over December that should be just the ticket.

Blogger Fat Gay Vegan ​(Sean O'Callaghan) has curated a list of vegan meat and cheese artisans for a plant-based food deli. So far the line-up includes LoveSeitan - that's their burger pictured above, Young Vegans, The Cashew Family, Big V London, Mouse’s

We're already in an American frame of mind here at Hot Dinners, what with Thanksgivingcoming up this week. So news that Selfridges is putting on a s'mores pop-up was right up our street.

This festive sugary venture is the brainchild of the folk behind Aubaine who'll be serving them in ‘Selfridges Kitchen’ on the fourth floor of the Oxford Street

As far as winter pop-ups go this year, this one definitely has to be among the most luxurious we’ve encountered. Nestled in the very grand former premises of the Limelight Club on Shaftesbury Avenue, with Winter House we've been promised lofty balcony banquets, a "sweeping Grand Hall," plus cocktails and dancing in the Crypts.

Behind The Winter House is events team Bourne &

We've seen a lot of Christmas specials hitting London restaurants (much of which have made it onto our festive roundup page). But if we had to choose a winner, and for the purposes of this piece we are, it's got to be the amazing Crimbo Pate en Croute devised by Head Chef Calum Franklin at Holborn Dining Rooms.

Calum has

If you find yourself in need of some Christmas spirit while braving London’s shops this festive season, duck into Archer Street, a newly cocktail pop-up on the fifth floor of Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge. The bar will be dishing up all kinds of stiff drinks, which you can enjoy while you soak up the highly festive atmosphere and recline on one of their many velvet armchairs.

The Let It Sloe is Archer Street’s take on a mojito, given a Christmas twist, and is made

So this may be the most altruistic Christmas party menu in London. Chicken Town in Tottenham already does a lot to promote healthy eating and careers in hospitality. Now it's using the Christmas party season to look after its neighbours on the big day. For the second year running they'll be throwing open their doors and hosting lunch for vulnerable people in Tottenham, including isolated older people and families living in nearby hostels.

The way they pay for