'War on Christmas' Brewing Over Starbucks' Holiday Red Cups
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Festive red cups are back at Starbucks along with holiday favorites like Peppermint Mocha, Chestnut Praline Latte, and Eggnog Latte.
"It's huge! People who don't even go to Starbucks regularly come during the holidays because we have the red cups," said barista Skyler Shelley.
But not everyone is happy with the design of this year's cups because they lack the holiday symbols.
An article posted to Breitbart.com calls the plain red cups the "War on Christmas," alleging that all signs of the holiday have been removed as the cups previously depicted images of ornaments and snowflakes.
Shelley said: "Couple customers come in and are like: Why are there no snowflakes?"
One critic said: "I definitely think it could have been a little more happy and swirls or something on there."
Another wrote on social media: "They'll destroy everything that they can get their hands on, even a simple cup of coffee."
A third person cried: "Star-bah-humbugs!"
The "War on Christmas" outcry has some people boiled over.
"I don't know why someone has so much time on their hands they're worried about whether or not Starbucks corporate put Christmas items on a cup. As long as the coffee tastes good, I don't care what cup it's in," said customer Lena Gurevich.
Some body else said: "Overreaction by both the Left and the Right is what's killing this country. Changing a paper cup isn't a 'War on Christmas', you idiot."
Starbucks didn't respond to a request for comment. But its website says: "In the past, we have told stories with our holiday cups designs," Jeffrey Fields, the vice president of design and content for Starbucks, said on the company's website. "This year we wanted to usher in the holidays with a purity of design that welcomes all of our stories."
"Starbucks has become a place of sanctuary during the holidays," Fields said. "We're embracing the simplicity and the quietness of it. It's more open way to usher in the holiday."
