The Ultimate 2025 Starbucks Holiday Cup & Menu Guide: 5 Key Dates You Missed

The holiday season officially kicked off for coffee lovers in early November 2025, marking the highly anticipated return of the iconic Starbucks holiday cups and festive drink menu. This year’s launch was a multi-stage event, beginning with the main menu drop and culminating in the legendary Red Cup Day giveaway. If you’re looking to get your hands on the limited-edition collectible cups or savor a seasonal favorite like the Peppermint Mocha, knowing the precise dates is crucial for planning your festive coffee runs.

The annual release of the Starbucks holiday line is more than just a menu change; it's a cultural phenomenon that signals the true start of winter festivities for millions of customers. From the new cup designs to the surprising return of a beloved latte, the 2025 season was packed with exciting details you need to know.

The Complete 2025 Starbucks Holiday Release Timeline

The arrival of the holiday cups and menu is rarely a single-day event. In 2025, Starbucks strategically rolled out its festive offerings across several key dates, building excitement and drawing in crowds for specific promotions. Here is the definitive timeline for the Starbucks 2025 holiday season, which began in early November and extended into December:

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• November 6, 2025: The Main Holiday Menu & Cup Launch. This was the official day the new and returning holiday beverages, along with the fresh new paper cup designs, debuted in U.S. coffeehouses. The menu featured seasonal favorites and a brand-new flavor.
• November 13, 2025: Red Cup Day (Free Reusable Cup Giveaway). Considered one of the biggest sales days of the year for the company, customers who ordered a handcrafted holiday beverage on this day received a free, limited-edition reusable red holiday cup.
• December 2, 2025: The Late-Arrival Latte Drop. In a surprise move, two fan-favorite beverages—the Eggnog Latte and the Chestnut Praline Latte—were added to the menu later in the season, giving fans a second wave of holiday cheer.
• January 6, 2026: Winter Menu Transition. While not a holiday date, this is the typical time when the holiday menu officially transitions to the winter menu, featuring new drinks and food items for the new year.

The Iconic 2025 Holiday Cup Designs: A Deep Dive

The paper cups are the centerpiece of the annual holiday launch, and 2025 delivered a vibrant collection of designs. Starbucks creative director Kristy Cameron led the team that brought this year's festive cups to life. The goal was to capture the joy and cozy feeling of the season.

For the 2025 season, Starbucks unveiled a total of six brand-new holiday cup designs, catering to both hot and cold drink enthusiasts.

Hot Drink Cup Designs (Four Styles)

The hot beverage cups featured traditional holiday motifs with a modern twist. The most prominent designs were:

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• Coffeehouse Plaid (Red): A classic, cozy plaid pattern dominated by the signature Starbucks red, evoking the look of a warm flannel shirt or a festive blanket.
• Coffeehouse Plaid (Green): A complementary plaid design, primarily in green, offering a subtle nod to Christmas trees and winter foliage.
• Apron-Inspired Patterns: Other hot cups featured patterns that mirrored the iconic green apron worn by Starbucks baristas, incorporating whimsical holiday elements into the familiar design.

Iced Drink Cup Designs (Two Styles)

Recognizing the increasing popularity of cold beverages year-round, even in winter, two distinct designs were created for iced drinks. These cups ensured that even a cold brew or an iced latte felt appropriately festive.

The Must-Try 2025 Holiday Drink Menu

The cups are only half the story; the holiday beverages are the reason for the season. The 2025 menu included the triumphant return of several seasonal favorites and introduced a new, highly anticipated flavor. The holiday menu was available to order starting on November 6, 2025.

Returning Holiday Classics

These beverages are the cornerstones of the Starbucks holiday tradition, driving massive excitement every year:

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• Peppermint Mocha: A perennial favorite, combining espresso, steamed milk, peppermint syrup, mocha sauce, and topped with whipped cream and dark chocolate curls.
• Caramel Brûlée Latte: A sweet and indulgent mix of espresso, steamed milk, caramel brûlée sauce, and topped with whipped cream and crunchy caramel brûlée bits.
• Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte: A popular non-dairy option that has quickly become a modern classic, featuring sugar cookie-flavored syrup and Almondmilk.

New and Late-Release Holiday Beverages

Starbucks kept things fresh with a new addition and surprised fans with a later-than-usual release for two iconic drinks:

• Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai: The new star of the 2025 menu, this beverage combines the warming spices of chai with the cozy flavor of gingerbread syrup and creamy Oatmilk, served over ice.
• Eggnog Latte: This classic, which was previously absent from the initial launch in some years, made a highly anticipated return on December 2, 2025, alongside the Chestnut Praline Latte.
• Chestnut Praline Latte: A nutty, caramelized flavor profile that returned on December 2, 2025, rounding out the full festive menu.

The Phenomenon of Red Cup Day

The single most important day for cup collectors and holiday enthusiasts in 2025 was Red Cup Day on November 13. This annual event is a marketing masterstroke and a major traffic driver for the company, resulting in the biggest sales day ever in the North America market for Starbucks.

On this day, any customer who purchased a handcrafted holiday or fall beverage—such as the Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brûlée Latte, or the new Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai—at a participating U.S. location automatically received a free, limited-edition, reusable 2025 Red Cup.

The reusable cup giveaway serves a dual purpose: it encourages customers to try the new holiday menu and promotes sustainability by giving them a durable cup for future use. The cups are highly collectible and often appear on secondary markets like eBay immediately after the event.

Holiday Merchandise and Collectibles

Beyond the paper and reusable Red Cups, Starbucks also released a full line of holiday merchandise and drinkware for 2025. This collection included a new cozy merch collaboration and a variety of tumblers and mugs.

• Red Travel Tumbler: A durable, festive tumbler for on-the-go holiday sipping.
• White Drinkware: A collection of white-themed mugs and tumblers, often featuring subtle holiday graphics.
• 2025 Ornament: A miniature red Starbucks cup ornament with the year "2025" was available, perfect for collectors to hang on their Christmas trees.

The 2025 Starbucks holiday season, with its staggered release dates, new cup designs, and exciting menu additions, proved once again that the arrival of the red cups is a definitive moment on the calendar, ushering in the most wonderful time of the year for coffee aficionados.