War on Christmas: Starbucks Introduces 'Merry Coffee' Cups for Festive Season
Coffee chain refuses to used word 'Christmas' on seasonal cups
As the build-up to the festive season begins, this year's "War on Christmas" has already taken its first casualty.
Firing the first shot against the annual Christian holiday is American coffee chain Starbucks, who is refusing to use the word "Christmas" on its newly-revealed seasonal cups.
This week, the caffeinated beverage giant unveiled four new seasonal cups, yet not a single one of them uses the word “Christmas.”
Despite the season being centered around a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the word that bears his name is awkwardly absent from their promotional products.
The closest Starbucks dares to get to the "offensive" word Christmas is with the phrase “Merry Coffee” on two of the four designs
Another newly designed cup sleeve says “We wish you a merry coffee.”
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The corporation's new coffee cups triggered a backlash, as customers accuse Starbucks of bowing down to a liberal agenda.
We wish you a merry coffee... pic.twitter.com/0aOOcjIY0c
— Bow🎀 (@Ntdsasi) November 6, 2019
“I’m gonna get a jump start on the Starbucks holiday cup drama by saying that 'Merry Coffee' is the silliest slogan I have ever heard,” one Twitter user wrote.
I’m gonna get a jump start on the Starbucks holiday cup drama by saying that “Merry Coffee” is the silliest slogan I have ever heard
— Thot Hashira (@LatinAlbert) November 6, 2019
Starbucks previously faced backlash from Christians and Christmas traditionalists when it issued plain red cups in 2015.
In 2016, the global coffee brand introduced the “Symbol of Unity” cup, just a week before the presidential election.
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Recent years have seen holiday-colored pattern designs.
"During a divisive time in our country, Starbucks wanted to create a symbol of unity" .@cr_schnei https://t.co/eq0C3v2u1M
— anne sackett (@as_fl) November 1, 2016
Whether an aversion to using the word “Christmas” extends beyond Starbucks is difficult to measure.
But in 2017, President Trump tweeted on Christmas Eve that Americans were “proud to be saying Merry Christmas again,” since he took office.
People are proud to be saying Merry Christmas again. I am proud to have led the charge against the assault of our cherished and beautiful phrase. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 25, 2017
“I am proud to have led the charge against the assault of our cherished and beautiful phrase,” he wrote.
“MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!”
