The spirit of Christmas is well and truly upon us, and what better way to begin the festive season than a good ol’ debate over how the iconic fruitcake should be eaten.

As the decorations begin to go up and the scent of cinnamon, clove, and pine fills the air, so too come the mixing bowls full of dried fruits soaking in brandy, sherry, or whatever poison you prefer.

Despite Christmas being a time when the world unites to partake in yuletide traditions, it seems there are vastly different opinions on how to eat the well-loved festive fruitcake – with or without butter.

Starts at 60 asked the over-60s community what the best way to eat the cake was, and the results were evenly split between the two options.

“No extra butter. Christmas fruitcake has enough butter in it already,” one person said.

“My Mum used to fry up slices of christmas pudding in butter with milk poured over, on Boxing Day, when we were little kids. No cream left over from Christmas Day and no shops open so that was how she used the pudding up. That was yum.”

“Butter and a cup of tea, even though mums fruitcake was so moist and full of fruit,” someone else said.

“Has plenty of butter in it Taste buds more than satisfied without trimmings as far as I am concerned!!! ( fruit soaked in plenty of brandy certainly helps),” one person commented.

“With butter but Christmas cake and custard is nice too,” said another.

Although, some people had a surprising answer, saying the best way to eat fruitcake was with a “slice of tasty cheese”.

“With a good mature cheddar cheese and a wee dram,” someone said.

“Very nice with a slice of vintage cheddar!”

“Definitely NOT Butter but with a good Matured Cheese it’s the only way!!”

However, there were other favourite ways to eat the Christmas cake.

“Some people like cheese – but I say ‘marzipan please’,” one person wrote.

“With custard, cream and mango,” another said.

Yet while there was a variety in the way people take the delicious cake, one thing was for certain: a cup of tea was the perfect pay to wash the Christmas treat down, no matter how you take it.