This is not a drill: Starbucks red cups are coming back for 2016 soon. Really soon. Nov. 10 soon. That’s less than a week from now. Prepare thyselves, for the holidays are upon us!
I’m constantly surprised by how important the annual return of the red cups every holiday season seems to be to us collectively; personally, I’m usually more excited about the actual holiday drinks, but that’s just me. And this year has been an interesting one, to say the least: At the end of October, an image of what looked like might be the 2016 Starbucks red cup began circulating the internet after being posted on Reddit; then, earlier this week, we noticed a wide variety of possible cups appearing on social media; and then, Starbucks announced a green cup meant to celebrate community alongside the debut of this year’s 2016 holiday beverage lineup.
The green cup actually caused an unexpected uproar, with many believing that it was the holiday cup (and everyone knows that Starbucks holiday cups must be red); however, as is now abundantly clear, the green cup was never intended to be the holiday cup. I suspect that the confusion may have arisen out of the fact that we learned about the green cup right as we discovered the holiday drinks were back for the year... although if we'd all been paying close enough attention, we would have noticed that there's actually nothing about the holidays anywhere in the green cups' description.
In any event, our questions have now been answered: In a press release launched into the world on Friday, Nov. 4, Starbucks announced not only that the red cups would indeed be returning, but also the date on which we can expect to begin seeing them. Starting on Nov. 10, you’ll be able to cozy up with a cheerful cup of holiday joy that looks just as festive on the outside as its contents are on the inside. What we don’t know yet is what the cup itself will actually look like; the promo video on the Starbucks Newsroom depicts last year’s subtle red ombre cup, but given that the cup design has been brand new every year for at least the past decade, I would hazard a guess that 2016’s scheme will be new, too. In fact, part of me wonders whether there are actually a whole bunch of cup designs this year, rather than just one — but we’ll have to wait until Nov. 10 to find out for sure.
In order to celebrate the return of the red cups, Starbucks also has something else in store for us: A BOGO deal! In what’s been termed a “Share Event,” Starbucks holiday drinks will be buy one, get one free at participating locations in the United States and Canada from 2 to 5 p.m., Nov. 10 through Nov. 14. Treats eligible for this promotion include the Chestnut Praline Latte, the Peppermint Mocha and Skinny Peppermint Mocha, the Caramel Brulee Latte, the Gingerbread Latte, the Eggnog Latte, the Teavana Joy Brewed Tea, and the just-announced Spiced Sweet Cream Narino 70 Cold Brew. The deal is good for hot, iced, and blended holiday beverages, with the stipulation that the free drink be of equal or lesser value to the one purchased. Now that's what I call a celebration.
Welcome back, red cups. We’ve missed you.
Images: Getty Images; Giphy
