Each year, Starbucks fans look forward to November 1st; holiday drinks return and people look forward to the designs of the holiday cups. This year, though, many noticed a difference. Instead of snowflakes, snowmen, and other winter drawings seen on cups in years past, this year’s design is a minimalist plain red cup. And many people are not happy about it.
It all started on November 5th, when a former pastor from Arizona, Joshua Feuerstein posted a video on Facebook saying that Starbucks was trying to take Christmas away in order to be politically correct. Since then, people have said consumers should boycott Starbucks, including Donald Trump (he also made a point to say if he becomes President, “we’re all going to be saying Merry Christmas again, that I can tell you,” and that the Starbucks in Trump Towers has their lease up at the end of the year.) But moving on!
People can be upset about the cups and their “lack of Christmas spirit” all they want, but here’s the thing: since when have drawings like snowmen and snowflakes become a symbol for just Christmas? I was under the impression that those drawings symbolize winter in general but if that changed, someone please let me know.
Quick reality check: there are much bigger problems the world is facing today. Millions of people are seeking refuge from ISIS, and millions of people worldwide still can’t drink clean water, or know where their next meal is coming from. If you have the time to be upset over something that you will drink out of for 30 minutes and then throw away, you have no idea how lucky you actually are. If people are upset that the spirit of Christmas is being taken away, maybe they should try spreading cheer themselves. Donate food to a local food pantry so people can have dinner on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah, or donate to Toys for Tots. These acts will make a difference, the design (or lack of) on the cup of your Gingerbread Latte will not.
Pretty soon, this will blow over, and will probably make it onto a “Stupid Things in 2015” list. In the meantime, take Ellen’s advice: “If you want Christmas with your breakfast, you have to do it the old-fashioned way. You have to get really, really high and then you have to go to IHOP, and then you just stare at your pancakes, and you go “I see baby Jesus in there.”