Granite Belt

Embrace the Spirit of the Season: As the holiday season fast approaches, many of us start to dream about twinkling lights, cosy gatherings, and the comforting scent of evergreen. In 2025, Christmas décor is evolving to reflect a blend of tradition, sustainability, and personal expression. Here’s a look at the top trends that will make […]

Have you been dreaming about visiting our Mistletoe store during this upcoming season? There is so much happening at GBCF in the coming months and we want to make sure you don’t miss a thing! Grab your notebook, pen and a steaming cup of hot cocoa, because it’s time to start planning! Here are some

Any diehard Christmas fan will be more than aware of the wonderful work from Jim Shore. In this post we delve in to the history of this iconic brand and go behind the scenes of Jim’s artistic process. Jim Shore grew up in the South Carolina countryside, the son of artistic parents, he was instilled with

If you think trees should only be decorated for Christmas, think again. We are big fans of an Easter themed tree with its bright colours and glittering flowers. It’s the perfect excuse to leave your tree up just a few months longer. Perfect Pastels We really can’t go past an Easter tree with an explosion

Like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny is well known to kids all over the world as the mythical character who brings chocolate and gifts at Easter time. In this article, we dive down the rabbit hole to find out more about the origins of this Easter legend. Did you know that the Bunny was ordinally

Hanging a wreath on the front door at Christmas time is almost essential decorating along with trimming the Christmas tree. But do you know the history behind why we hang Christmas wreaths? The custom of bringing evergreens home during the winter began in the 16th century among northern and eastern Europeans — with Germans commonly credited

When you close your eyes and picture Christmas decorations all over your home from childhood, what do you see? For most die-hard Christmas fans, nothing but your Traditional Themed décor will ever do. This means sticking to a classically festive colour palette of red, gold and green as well as using tree ornaments that represent the

Even though it’s slightly grisly, the story of The Gingerbread Man (who runs away from a cow, a horse, and a chicken but gets eaten by a fox) has delighted children at Christmas since 1875, when it was first published in St. Nicholas Magazine. Inspired by the popular Grimms fairy tale, German bakers began to craft small

If you like more formal home décor, then the Elegant Christmas tree theme might just be for you. Not only does an elegant themed tree look expensive but it screams glamour and style! The more glitz and glam, the better with elegant Christmas tree decorating ideas. Here’s some key points to keep in mind when

The Origins of Mrs Claus Lets face it, behind every great man, there’s an even greater woman and Mrs Claus is no exception. The first mention of Mrs. Claus appears in the 1849 short story “A Christmas Legend” by missionary James Rees. In the story, an old man and woman, both carrying a bundle on the

Why stick to red and green when your holiday décor can embrace all the colours of the rainbow? A candy land tree not only looks good enough to eat, but it screams Christmas cheer! Light up your world with some glittering cake houses or gingerbread pieces. A brightly coloured ribbon can also add some extra

Get inspired by decorating with beautiful, bold colors this holiday season. One of our personal favorites is the Blue Trend which is set to be big for 2023. This years holiday palette is set to take an unexpected turn with blues in all shades being featured. Blue is a cool shade with a soothing quality,

Most of you will be familiar with the famous song “You’re a mean one Mr Grinch” but do you know the story behind the infamous villain of Christmas? The Grinch first appeared in a 33-line illustrated poem by Dr.Seuss called “The Hoobub and the Grinch”, which was originally published in the May 1955 edition of Redbook

For most people the holidays are about spending time with family and friends. It’s a time for eating, drinking and being merry! Everyone’s Christmas day looks different, but in our house, we enjoy listening to Christmas music and playing some games. Here are some game ideas that will get even the Grinchiest people into the

The iconic Christmas figurine for any diehard Christmas collector has got to be Santa Claus! We especially love the unique and quirky pieces which are brought to you buy Department 56 – Possible Dreams. These clothique figurines capture the best of Christmas for your home and are a must have in any Christmas lovers collection.

Create your own Winter Wonderland As Australians who celebrate Christmas each year in the warmer months, we have become obsessed with turning our homes in to a winter wonderland. We have all seen the movies where kids wake up to a beautiful scene with presents under the tree and a blanket of white snow on

The Origins of Santa Claus Whether you know him as known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa is a legendary figure. Today, he is thought of mainly as the jolly man in red who brings toys to good girls and boys on Christmas Eve, but his story stretches all the

One of the biggest trends for Christmas 2023 is to think pink! We absolutely love this trend, and even have some pink trees on the way. To help inspire your holiday decorating we’ve gathered some of our favourite pink looks and decorations. Because there’s more to a holiday palette than just red, green and gold.

Whether you always watch the same Christmas movie each year on Christmas Eve or set out the same Christmas village on your mantel each year, Christmas traditions are a must for many people all over the globe. Here are some of our favourite decorating ideas and magical Christmas traditions to make your own this year. Deck the