Every year, it seems, Americans rely less on weather forecasts and more on big brands like Starbucks.SEX, to alert them when the seasons change. Fall, for example, began in August, just before the leaves changed, with the annual release of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte, and Christmas bells began to ring when Starbucks’ holiday cups came out a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, November 2.
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Starbucks brings holiday cheer
The holiday cups aren’t the only item on Starbucks’ holiday menu: Their 2023 lineup includes the new Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai, along with returning favorites like the Caramel Brulee Latte and the perennial hit, Peppermint Mocha.
Along with the launch of Starbucks’ Christmas cups, Starbucks’ 18,000 stores were seemingly transformed overnight into a Christmas wonderland, with bags of Christmas-blend coffee beans nestled comfortably on shelves, Christmas music playing merrily (part from Starbucks’ collaboration with Spotify), and baristas sporting festive red aprons instead of everyday green ones.
Related: Starbucks Salaries: How Much Can You Earn Wearing the Green Apron?
The world’s largest coffee roaster is also launching special holiday promotions. The most anticipated of these is Starbucks Red Cup Day, when stores give away 16 oz. Free reusable coffee cups, while supplies last. And while Starbucks remains tight-lipped about exactly when that day will be each year, it’s not difficult to estimate based on past seasons.
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What are Starbucks’ Christmas cup designs this year?
For its 2023 holiday mug collection, Starbucks added a bold pop of magenta to its traditional seasonal palette.
“When we were looking at trends when designing this year’s holidays, we kept seeing bright, bold, uplifting colors,” said Kristy Cameron, Starbucks creative director. “We found that magenta, along with Christmas reds and greens, enhances traditional holiday colors and makes red appear even brighter.”
Five new cup designs (including one for cold drinks) make up the Starbucks 2023 holiday collection:
- Party Plaid, a modern version of a tartan blanket
- Peppermint Swirl, inspired by frozen Christmas treats
- Ribbon Spool, which looks exactly what it sounds like, after you’ve wrapped some presents.
- Bauble Wrap, which takes inspiration from another popular wrapping item and pairs well with the conical shape of the Christmas cup.
- Frosted Bauble, which is designed for cold drink glasses and features snow-white spectrums of Christmas shapes.
Each mug design fits with Starbucks’ 2023 theme, “Share the Joy,” and even comes with a gift tag so you can write a special note for a friend or loved one. After all, Cameron adds, “it’s our shared human experience and our togetherness that makes this season special.”
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What is Starbucks Red Cup Day 2023? When is?
Starbucks’ Christmas cups have generated passionate brand loyalty for the coffee chain. The roastery, in turn, is characterized by having a sixth sense to know what its customers want. For example, it was one of the first coffee chains to incorporate augmented reality (AR) into its mugs: in 2011, viewers received a Christmas gift when they scanned a code on their Christmas mugs, which unlocked a set of virtual characters through Starbucks. Application.
Starbucks promotions are the ones that attract their customers the most, especially when they cost nothing. That’s why one of Starbucks’ busiest days is Red Cup Day, when customers can order a drink from Starbucks’ holiday menu and receive the 16oz reusable drink. Red glass it comes in, free of charge.
Related: PSL Nation: How Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes Became a Cultural Icon
Red Cup Day usually falls on the third Thursday in November; That means that in 2023, Red Cup Day is expected to take place on November 16.
Proceeds from Starbucks’ first Red Cup Days, in 2010, supported HIV/AIDS research. In 2022, Red Cup Day was launched as part of Starbucks’ efforts to promote sustainability as the cups are reusable. That day, the chain also committed to reducing its waste by 50% by 2030.
But Starbucks’ red cups have also been known to spark controversy.
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What are some of the controversies associated with Starbucks Red Cups?
In 2015, internet personality Joshua Feuerstein posted a rant accusing Starbucks of “Jesus hating” because its Christmas mug lacked Christmas imagery. Starbucks said that year’s cup design was blank so customers could decorate it with their own holiday art. But Feuerstein took that to mean that the chain had erased all Christian symbolism from its Christmas glasses.
That statement was a bit misleading since Starbucks had never featured specifically Christian designs. However, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump took up Feurestein’s cause and called on his own supporters to boycott Starbucks stores during the holiday season.
Later in 2022, more than 2,000 unionized Starbucks employees organized a labor strike to demand higher wages and benefits, choosing to strike on Red Cup Day specifically because it was one of the store’s busiest days of the year. However, negotiations would stall and workers would go on strike again in December 2022 and later in June 2023.
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How do I get a red Starbucks cup?
Simply order a holiday (or fall) drink at participating Starbucks stores on Thursday, November 16 and you’ll receive your drink in a free red cup, while supplies last.
You can place your order in person, through the Starbucks app, or through Starbucks Delivery.
Here is the full list of eligible beverages:
- Crispy oat milk and apple macchiato
- Latte brulee with caramel
- Chestnut praline latte
- Hot chocolate
- Cold beer with Irish cream
- Hot chocolate mint
- Peppermint Mocha
- White hot chocolate with mint
- Cold preparation of pumpkin cream
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Latte with almond milk and sugar cookie
- Toasted white hot chocolate
- Toasted White Chocolate Mocha
- hot white chocolate
Drinks can be made hot, iced or mixed.
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How have Starbucks Christmas cups evolved over the years?
Surprisingly, Starbucks’ Christmas cups weren’t always red. The first ones introduced, back in 1997, were more of an eggplant shade and featured a swirl-shaped design that was carefully selected by Starbucks founder Howard Shultz.
Tragically, those design files were lost in an earthquake that hit Seattle in 2001.
In 1999, the first candy red mug appeared. Since then, Starbucks has featured whimsical drawings of snowflakes, houses, stars, reindeer and other holiday iconography on its signature red cups.
Are Starbucks red cups reusable?
The Starbucks 2023 red cup is made from 50% recycled plastic. You can take it to any Starbucks in the US and receive 10 cents off your drink plus 25 extra stars (if you order from the app).
Plus, Starbucks red cups are BPA-free and can be used in the dishwasher or microwave.
