This is the 5pm blog’s first December posting – a respectable point at which to look ahead to the festive season and guess which foods are likely to be testing our belts over the next few weeks.

If this article in The Mail is to be believed then the average Brit won’t perfect their own Christmas Dinner-making skills until they are 36; an age which sounds rather young to me.

Christmas 5pm Big Deals

If you would prefer not to stuff your own turkey, then 5pm has plenty of alternatives. The 5pm Christmas Big Deal page is a good place to start looking for festive meals out and also gift ideas for your nearest and dearest.

This blogger likes the look of the three course dinner on offer at Barolo Grill. A very reasonable £14.95 means that you can tuck into a menu which includes crispy calamari, spicy Tuscan sausages and a selection of Italian cheeses.

Most popular dishes

Urban Brasserie’s Christmas Big Deal is also tempting. This time, it’s £19.95 per person for three courses from their Signature Dish menu. These are the dishes which have made the St Vincent Place brasserie so popular over the years.

I’m having the mussel and crab stew followed by the duck breast teriyaki and the frozen chocolate cake ice cream but I can understand those who might be tempted by the roast Norfolk turkey with sage and onion stuffing, chipolatas and roast chestnut gravy. Buon Natale! as they say in Milan.

Afternoon Tea gift

While afternoon tea is not this blogger’s favourite meal, I know several people who like nothing better than a good goss over the lapsang souchong while polishing off three tiers of dainty nibbles.

The Afternoon Tea Christmas Big Deal at 20 Private Members’ Club is likely to be appearing in a few stockings belonging to friends and family.

It costs £19.95 instead of £39.90 for two people to enjoy afternoon tea with a glass of chilled Prosecco in the swish Network Bar at 29. Vouchers are valid until the 3rd of March 2013 which means they can be used as Christmas gifts.

Lots of choice

There are plenty of other tempting Big Deals on offer. Click here to see 5pm’s Christmas Big Deals on hotel getaways; spa days and activities as well as great offers from other restaurants.