How to Build a Granite Belt Christmas Feast

There’s something magical about crafting a Christmas celebration that’s steeped in tradition, brimming with flavour, and wrapped in the joy of giving. The Granite Belt, with its rich produce, artisanal delicacies, and festive spirit, is the place to help you build a Christmas to rival the movies.

Read on to find out how to bring a Granite Belt Christmas to your holiday table.

Get your tree and decorate it

Have you ever dreamt of having a real Christmas tree, just like in the movies? Stanthorpe’s very own Granite Belt Christmas Farm is a Christmas village that turns those dreams into a reality.

Grab the family and make it a Christmas tradition as you stroll through the thousands of trees, measure them up and pick your favourite.

And of course, you need some decorations for your tree too! Head into their magical Mistletoe Store, a wonderland of over 20,000 themed decorations.

Top tip: Don’t forget to plan how you’re going to bring your tree home before you arrive.

The Christmas Tree Harvest runs from Friday 29^th November – 23^rd December 2024.

Stock up on local flavours

Kickstart your Christmas Day with handmade pastries, croissants and sourdough from ZEST Pastries. Their Swiss-inspired sweet and savoury selection is made daily from scratch, baked to perfection.

Need to nail the charcuterie board? Make way to Stanthorpe Cheese, the region’s original farmhouse cheesemakers, to stock up on handcrafted fromage. Their ruby cheese infused with red wine is sure to be a standout on the platter or try their Brass Monkey Blue to pair with sweet accompaniments and sweet wines (great for dessert too!).

Jamworks Gourmet Foods in Glen Aplin is a must, grab a coffee here and the friendly staff can help you select the best relishes and pastes to level up your platters (yes, you can taste test too!). Their Christmas pack is an easy go-to featuring mint jelly, cranberry sauce and apple sauce.

Grab your basket and head to the Stanthorpe Farmer’s Market on a Saturday morning to gather all local organic farm fresh produce to serve up at the main meal.

Elevate your Christmas feast with Granite Belt Truffle from The Folly Truffles, their truffled black garlic mustard is to die for with some crispy potatoes and is sure to impress your guests.

Finally, stop in at Vincenzo’s at the Big Apple to stock up on any last-needed deli items with products from across the Granite Belt and beyond.

Get the drinks on ice

Get the cocktails started for your guests with Bush Limoncello or Shiraz Gin from The Ginyard, who create premium distilled spirits from local farm produce and botanicals grown right on their Granite Belt property.

Rising above the vineyards, Castle Glen is a treasure trove of liquor delights. This iconic castle cellar door boasts a huge 300+ range of products from table, fortified and sparkling wines to liquors beers and distilled products.

Summer days and cold beers go hand-in-hand, and micro-brewery Granite Belt Brewery has got you covered. Using the finest malts, hops and yeast, plus Stanthorpe’s purest water, they create ales, lagers, ciders and seasonal crafts.

With over 50+ cellar doors across the Granite Belt, meet the winemakers and find your perfect vino to match the celebrations. Follow the Strange Bird Wine Trail and discover a lesser-known alternative wine to create a conversation starter for awkward family moments at the table.

For a wine that pairs with a hot summer day, Robert Channon’s Rose 2023 is at the top of the list, recently named in the Halliday Guide’s ‘Best 50 of the Australian rosé wines to sip this summer.’

For a non-alcoholic option, our pick is Sutton’s Farm apple juice, pressed in their factory and free of preservatives and additives.

There’s always room for dessert

Pick up a giant apple pie from Sutton’s and serve it up with cream, custard or ice-cream. Made by hand, from farm to plate, this iconic apple pie will surely steal the show as the dessert table centrepiece. Plate licking guaranteed.

Want to try before you buy? Their shed café serves up pie by the slice daily, among other treat-yourself goodies like apple slice and apple crumble. They’re open right up until Christmas Eve, meaning you can pick up a pie just before the big day.

For the pavlova lovers, make your pav extra special this year topped with freshly picked strawberries straight from the farm, by you! Head to Ashbern Farms Friday – Sunday with the whole family for some pre-Christmas fun to pick your own or get in early to Eastern Colour for their picking days on 14th and 15th December. Pay by the kilo at each location. Don’t forget to add summer stonefruits too! Find gorgeous fresh peaches and plums at Nicoletti Orchards, where you can pick your own on selected dates this December.

Making a Christmas cake? Castle Glen’s Chocolate Fortress, Whiskello Liqueur and Butterscotch Liqueur make perfect additions for a decadently rich cake.

Don’t forget presents

Well, you can’t have a Christmas tree with no presents under it? Plan a trip to Market in the Mountains on Sunday 8^th  December 2024 for their special Christmas market that will be bursting with stalls inside and out.

For shopping any day of the week, head to Washpool Supply Co, Kent Saddlery or the Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery Boutique for a special hand-crafted gift.

Still stuck for ideas? Sometimes the best gifts come in bottles from boutique vineyards or check out the Granite Belt Gift Guide here.