‘Tis the Season

At the time (mid 2000’s) it sounds like a plot from one of those classic animated Christmas movies I remember seeing on TV growing up. In a world often obsessed with focusing more on our differences and diversity where we have appointed times to celebrate sub segments of our population such as (Women’s History Month, or Black History Month), how could anyone then start a war on Christmas? Yet here we stood on the brink of a really good plot for a classic film:

Little Johnnie walks into a Walmart and asks “Where’s Santa”, his dad perplexed has to explain the difference between holidays and Christmas. Little Susie walks into a Sears and sees people bitterly arguing over the fact they wished somebody a “Happy Holidays”. Would they have to cancel Christmas? Would little Johnnie and Susie have to watch as everyone around them spiraled down into an angry debate between political correctness and religious indignation?

Those days have certainly cooled down now, from the high points in the tension in 2005-2007. There was one shining light in the business world who somehow managed to stay above the bickering with their own tradition: Starbucks.

Red Cup Days
Starbucks began this tradition in 1997, by converting from their traditional iconic white cups to red ones for the holidays.  When this PR disaster hit companies Starbucks simply relied on their traditional cups and marketed “Red Cup Days” removing any hint on which way they leaned in the Christmas vs. Holidays war.  At a time when bitterness was fast overtaking a holiday season that is supposed to be bringing people joy, Starbucks offered a reprieve.

Red Cup Days Now
I walked into Starbucks yesterday and say “Christmas Blend” and “Holiday Blend”, to be honest my first thought was I may have to buy both and see which I like better. Curious I wanted to know what the difference was, imagine my surprise at my naivety as a consumer to be told by a worker at Barnes & Noble that was selling the coffee that they’re the same. A look on Starbucks website seems to back it up as all the characteristics and the descriptors are remarkably similar:

Holiday Blend
From Latin America come bright, sparkling beans. Asia/Pacific beans provide their own smooth, full-bodied taste. And Aged Sumatran coffees – carefully held for 3 to 5 years – complete the blend with its signature spicy flavor.

Christmas Blend
Our Christmas Blend is sweet and spicy, with a flavor derived from bright, sparkling Latin American coffees and smooth, full-bodied Asia/Pacific beans. But it’s the Aged Sumatran beans, carefully held for 3 to 5 years before roasting, that give it that delicious signature spicy taste.

My take
It’s funny while I praise Starbucks for sidestepping this huge issue effectively through their marketing, that I would continue to praise them as they venture into this warfront now. The difference now is the mood and sentiment, in 2005 when this war was really going strong the economy seemed to be doing well, and had a looming war between conservative idealogy and liberals. Now in 2009 the focus has shifted to major issues facing the country and the economy. It was a safe time to create a “his” and “her” type lines for the product allowing those who practice or embrace Christmas to have their time, while not excluding those with separate beliefs.