Before you defiantly stick another too-big sausage under the grill, for heaven's sake stop. Christmas is a time for barbecues and for respecting this true Australian icon.

It’s a great Australian legend, ‘the sausage’. It’s a cultural institution – koalas, kangaroos, meat pies… sausages. I say this has to be a Christmas holiday must – getting your mates over for a snag! BUT STOP, it’s not that easy. First, let us discuss sausage etiquette and a little history.

The word sausage comes from the Middle English sausige, which originates from sal; the Latin word for salt. The word sausage dates back so far that poets such as Homer have discussed their worth to Epicharmus – writing a comedy titled “The Sausage” around 500B.C. In France they are sausissons and in Germany, wurst (I think best, but who am I to blow against the wind!). In practice for over one millennia sausage making was originally a method used to preserve meats, especially lesser cuts. But not now; it is an art, a passion and one that must be respected. So what of this etiquette?

Firstly, beef is essential – if you get invited around you don’t want a plate full of chicken sausages – that’s like only having a group of Mathematicians at your table – great to add variety, but they can’t be the only ones at the party.

Secondly, you must do the sausage a service – Sausages must be barbequed. Some things just have their place; you wouldn’t put your hat on your foot, and you wouldn’t put a sausage on a stove. And for those punters out there that don’t have a BBQ, go buy one, or invite your mates to a park that has the flat plate BBQ there. The cooking process is just as important as the BBQ – slow and steady wins the race. All sausages must be slowly attended to. Hot but not too hot and turned and turned. You can’t burn one side and think that it’s cooked (you know who you are).

But lastly, thick or thin? Size does matter. No one wants a tiny sausage and really big ones are no good either. When buying for your mates it’s a good idea to get a good balance of thick and thin so everyone is happy. What better way to celebrate Christmas with such a star; no, not from the top of your Christmas tree, but the one on your plate. This is the way to bring in the New Year with an icon; the great “Aussie Sausage” and is why we call Australia home! Happy 2016!