Barren trees and chilly weather cue the arrival of winter, which means the beginning of the holiday season. For many, this includes the release of Starbucks’ annual holiday cups. As soon as the weather started to get cold, the first of November to be exact, the highly anticipated new version of the “red cups” came out. Although not actually red, they are a festive way to start the holiday season and long awaited by coffee and tea lovers everywhere. While many may wait in anticipation for these cups, excited to begin the festivities of the holiday season, Starbucks has found a way this year to send a greater message using simply a cup: by calling on people this holiday to “give good.”
The message of “giving good” is something that Starbucks hopes to spread and focus on this year.
Jordan Kay from Starbucks’ creative studio mentions how the cups are “a symbol of connection, love, and giving joy.”
In the midst of the holidays this is an important message to remember. While these cups have always been about the joys of the holidays and being with the people you love throughout the season, Starbucks encouraged customers to apply this message to recent events this year by taking their own steps to make a difference. The cups’ idea of giving good can be applied to the recent events of Hurricane Maria, along with the other disasters that have occurred this year.
The cups offer inspiration to get involved, and as Starbucks says “the smallest thing can make the biggest difference.”
This idea of giving back can apply to all of us. Starbucks altered their tradition of a holiday cup into one that spread a message that motivates others to find ways to give back.
Finding a way to do good in your community isn’t as hard as you may think. The small deeds are what matter the most, according to Starbucks. Everyone has the opportunity to spread kindness everyday. Even a simple compliment or smile may leave a big impact on someone else.
We can adapt this aspect of the Starbucks theme to “give good” to our own school. At Minnetonka High School, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved, especially through the wide variety of service clubs.
The holiday season may be a central time to do good for your community and the world, but why just limit our actions to the holiday months? We are given the chance to impact the world for the better with our actions, meaning we should seize each and every day with the same emphasis to spread good deeds that we do during the holiday season.