Starbucks Holiday Cups Are Back: Here’s What’s New This Year
The holiday season at Starbucks has officially begun. On November 6th, the coffee chain rolled out their Starbucks holiday cups for 2025, along with the seasonal drink menu.
For many, this is the moment the holidays actually start, a small ritual that signals cozy mornings, twinkling lights, and a bit of warmth in the rush of winter days.
This year’s designs take inspiration from the aprons worn by Starbucks baristas during the holidays.
The cups are filled with bright red and green tones, soft textures, and ribbon motifs that feel familiar and festive without being over-the-top.
The Story Behind the Designs
Starbucks creatives say the return to coffeehouse comfort was the guiding idea.
After several years of new formats, shifting menus, and evolving store culture, the company wanted to bring back something that felt personal and grounded.
Each cup includes a small white tag on the back where baristas can write a note. Isnt’ that cute? The brand recently returned to the practice of hand-written messages, something many customers have missed.
What the New Starbucks Holiday Cup Designs Look Like
This year’s Starbucks holiday cup designs lean into coffeehouse textures and ribbon-like details. The collection includes both hot cups and cold cups in coordinating patterns.
Here are the main designs in the lineup:
Coffeehouse Plaid in Green: A green plaid design that feels familiar and soft, kind of like a cozy pair of holiday pajamas.
Coffeehouse Plaid in Red: A red variation of the same pattern, tied to feelings of tradition, warmth, and gathering.
Merry Apron Strings in Green: Green ribbons tied in bows around the Starbucks logo, mimicking the apron strings worn by baristas.
Merry Apron Strings in Red: A red version inspired by the moment the baristas switch from their everyday green aprons to holiday red.
And don’t worry. If you stay loyal to your iced drinks year-round, their cold cups will have the same festive designs in both red and green options.
Seasonal Drinks Return, Too
Along with the cup designs, the Starbucks holiday menu for 2025 includes returning seasonal favorites and a few new beverages.
The full menu will vary slightly by location, but we can expect the classics like:
Peppermint Mocha
Chestnut Praline Latte
Seasonal cold foam specials
If you’ve been waiting for the cozy drinks to come back, this is your moment.
Starbucks Red Cup Day
Starbucks Red Cup Day is still happening.
On the designated day, often one of the busiest of the season, if you buy a handcrafted holiday drink of any size, you’ll receive a reusable red cup (while supplies last).
It’s become something of a holiday tradition, part collectible and part seasonal celebration.
A Small Sign That the Season Has Started
There are many ways to mark the beginning of the holidays.
For some, it’s the first chill in the air or the lights going up in the neighborhood. For others, hearing a friend ask, "When do Starbucks holiday cups return?" is the moment.
As always, it’s not about the cups themselves, but about the moments they create.
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