The faux-controversy over the minimalist red-gradient plain Starbucks seasonal cup color will not die. Yesterday, Donald Trump chimed in, suggesting that "maybe we should boycott Starbucks. I don't know. Seriously. I don't care. [...] If I become president we're all going to be saying 'Merry Christmas' again. That I can tell you."
Trump stated that the coffee chain had removed "Merry Christmas" from their seasonal red cups. This isn't true--while the cups have changed considerably from year to year, they have never included the words "Merry Christmas" in their design. The cups in the past have predominantly featured winter scenes (trees, deer, snowmen, and snowflakes) and generic messages like "hope" and "cheer." Last year's cups featured a minimalist snowflake and tree design.
Nobody is stopping anybody from saying Merry Christmas. (Point of order: it's also, as of this writing, November 10, which is far too early to be wishing anybody a Merry Christmas. Advent doesn't even begin until November 29.) Starbucks is not anti-Christmas in any way, shape, or form. They still sell advent calendars and a Christmas blend of coffee.
This is the definition of a "nontroversy." It does not make sense to be angry over a minimalist design of a seasonal cup of coffee that is thrown away about five seconds after the beverage it contains is drunk. If a person is so offended by Starbucks and its lack of snowflakes and pine trees on its cups this year, they can simply either a) avoid coffee, b) brew it at home, c) buy coffee from one of the thousands of other vendors, or d) build a bridge, and get over it.
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And while I'm not shocked that Trump is trying to cash in on RedCupGate, it's wrong of him to perpetuate falsehoods for applause.
Don't boycott Starbucks over plain red cups. Or boycott Starbucks over plain red cups. Just don't let the media or a presidential candidate tell you what to think.
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