Starbucks is giving its holiday cups the full Christmas treatment this year.
The coffee company unveiled four holiday-themed cup patterns Thursday morning, and those concerned about the so-called “War on Christmas” will be very pleased with the designs.
“We listened to our customers,” Roz Brewer, chief operating officer for Starbucks, said in a statement, according to CNN, noting so many of the café’s patrons “loved the tradition of Christmas.”
Holiday magic arrives at @Starbucks stores tomorrow https://t.co/IIjqckU10V pic.twitter.com/tC8CA5baEn
— Starbucks News (@Starbucksnews) November 1, 2018
Starbucks’ Christmas cups have become something of a lightening rod in conservative Christians circles over the years. In 2015, the coffee brand took a lot of heat for removing the “symbols of the season” from its cups, which had in years past included etchings of reindeer, ornaments and other holiday markings.
At the time, Joshua Feuerstein, a former pastor who know sees himself as a “social media personality,” declared Starbucks decided to go with a simple, solid red cup “because they hate Jesus” and didn’t want to pay homage to the Christmas tradition.
The Seattle-based company responded to Feuerstein’s critique by saying the goal was to create “a culture of belonging, inclusion and diversity,” adding the design was intended to be a “blank canvas” on which customers could “tell their Christmas stories in their own way.”
It should be noted Starbucks is also selling a solid red reusable coffee cup this year, while supplies last.
Starbucks Opens First-Ever ‘Signing Store’ in US Near Gallaudet University
Starbucks has unveiled a holiday-themed cup every year since 1997. The featured image above showcases the designs the company has released through the years.
Faithwire reached out to Feuerstein for a statement on Starbucks’ new cup designs. If he responds, this article will be updated to include his comments.