AN ETIQUETTE guru has revealed how to indulge in a crumbly mince pie while still appearing elegant and sophisticated.
TikTok tutor Lucy Challenger, 39, has garnered over half a million followers as she teaches viewers the high-class way of doing everyday tasks.
And in a recent clip, the manners expert showed people the "formal British way" to eat the Christmas favourite mince pie.
To start, Lucy says it is imperative to pick up the sweet treat with the thumb and first finger - before tucking in with "delicate bites".
"The mince pie is crumbly, so make sure anything that falls from the mince pie falls onto your plate," she added.
According to the 39-year-old, the optimal number of bites it takes to munch through the festive luxury is between four and six.
But she warned that although they "taste delicious" a mince pie is also "rather filling", so to remain dignified it is best to hold back.
"Don't overindulge this Christmas, as otherwise you might feel like you've turned into a mince pie yourself," she advised.
The TikTok star regularly offers suggestions about how to keep up your etiquette day-to-day.
Other foods she has told viewers how to consume in a tasteful way include cocktails, cheese strings and Cadbury's crème eggs.
And alongside her online fame, Lucy is also the founder and CEO of classy Mayfair agency Polo and Tweed, which recruits employees for her high-end clients.
Viewers of the stylish account were also treated to a history lesson of the origins of a mince pie.
She described it as "a sweet pie of English origin filled with mincemeat... a mixture of fruit, spices and suet - not actual meat.
"These pies are traditionally served in much of the English speaking world during Christmas time.
"The ingredients of a mince pie are traceable to the 13th century when returning European crusaders brought with them Middle Eastern recipes containing meat, fruits and spices."
One said: "I spent my whole life thinking British people were putting actual meat in pies".
"They sound delicious - I need to try that someday," said another.
For those wanting to know the best value mince pie on the market as we head into the festive period, The Sun has taste-tested the traditional treats to find out whether supermarket own-brand goods beat the brands on quality and price.
And the winner came out at a whopping 30 per cent cheaper than the classic Mr Kipling mince pies - and tasted almost exactly the same.
But in a vote from the Which? annual mince pie test, those from Waitrose and Aldi have been named the best for Christmas.
The posh supermarket's brown butter mince pies with Cognac were voted a "best buy" in the annual contest.
But Aldi’s specially selected mince pies were also named a "best buy" - and they cost half the price.
