How Starbucks Red Cup Day became the ultimate holiday cue Boston 25 News [Video]

Starbucks Red Cup Day has officially arrived, offering customers a free, reusable red cup with every seasonal drink order.

2024’s red cup design features a peppermint candy motif with the Starbucks logo front and center. It was revealed a week after Starbucks unveiled its latest festive cup designs — four vibrant options that fans eagerly anticipate each year.

For many, the rollouts mark the beginning of a cherished annual tradition that’s as much about connection and nostalgia as it is about coffee.

The journey of Starbucks red cups began in 1997 when graphic designer Sandy Nelson was tasked with creating the company’s first seasonal cup designs. The first design, a charming pattern of holly leaves and coffee beans, was personally chosen by Starbucks founder Howard Schultz.

“It reminded him of a wrapped gift, like presenting customers with a gift-wrapped cup of coffee,” Nelson recalled to Yahoo Entertainment, noting Schultz’s enthusiasm for the concept.

That first collection, printed in …