The holidays are always a busy time at establishments like Starbucks. Festive drinks and pastries are always a smash hit for customers looking to celebrate as the wintery months begin to creep in. Starbucks takes full advantage of this desire by releasing annual holiday specials; these, however, are not just limited to beverages or treats. Every year, Starbucks releases collectible holiday cups alongside their drinks. Whether it is the allure of its exclusivity or just how cute it is, the 2025 Starbucks “Bearista” cup is driving consumers wild, even to the point of spending absurd amounts of money to get their hands on one.
The bear-shaped, glass cup went on sale at participating Starbucks locations on November 6, 2025. Stock was extremely limited, as most stores only received between one and four cups. All cups were totally sold out within the first week of release. The Bearista cup was sold for the notable price of $29.95, an unsurprisingly high price for a Starbucks product. The question of whether or not the cup is worth thirty dollars is overshadowed by the prices it goes for from resellers; on reselling sites like Depop and eBay, the cup can go for several hundred dollars. One listing in particular listed the cup for $1,250.00. While the absurdity of these prices is not lost on most customers, a select few willingly pay these outrageous prices for the cup.
The question of why these cups are so popular is a difficult one to answer. In recent years, reusable cups have been exploding in popularity across the U.S.; whether it’s a light pink Stanley cup with a handle attached or an Owala in pastel or pure white, millions of young women have been making the switch to a reusable water bottle. Starbucks shares an audience with these companies, so it would be no surprise if it took inspiration when releasing its own cup. The trend, while eco-friendly in moderation, can become dangerous when collectors buy more bottles than they could ever possibly use. What is supposed to be environmentally conscious can quickly become wasteful, treating the metal and glass cups like disposable plastic ones. The obsession over the Bearista cup mirrors the Stanley/Owala craze in an eerily similar way, raising the question whether the cup will still be relevant in a month.
While it is undeniably cute, the Starbucks Bearista cup is not a necessary purchase by any means. The trendiness of the cup in recent weeks is an example of how consumerism can destroy an innocent product; the reusability of the cup is outweighed by the outrageous price-gouging from resellers online. As an alternative, many conscious consumers have put their coffee in a finished honey jar, achieving a similar look for a fraction of the cost. It is important for prospective buyers to carefully consider whether a glass cup they might forget about in a few weeks is really worth $100 on eBay, when they could simply use what they already have at home instead.