This 2016 Holiday ornament release is bringing back to North America some whimsy with a French Press pot, Coffee Bag, and quaint penguin, polar bear, and fox to go cups.  But amidst the charm is also a release of the Starbucks 50 states red cup ornaments which reminds us of the adage, “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”.  The red cup is the iconic symbol of Starbucks’ holiday and the little red cup ornaments have been a favorite for years.  But to make a plain one with just a logo on one side and a shape of each state with their two-letter abbreviation on the other sucks the creative life out of us all.

Collage created by Greg Hilary

I have yet to hear of any collector who is getting them because they like them.  Most are passing on them altogether or only getting their own state or perhaps some to which they have traveled.  But all I have heard from have panned them as ugly.

In addition to being ugly, its excessive.  In recent years, Starbucks has flooded us with quantities (perhaps over quality) of various products…99 cards one year, 48 the next, the huge dot collection of tumblers and more.

The holidays are expensive enough without adding huge collection purchases.  Now to be fair, I doubt Starbucks expects people to get all them and are just offering options.  And collectors are responsible for their own choices of how far they go with investing in their passion (or OCD).  But if the quantity of states also exhibited some creativity, there would be no complaints here.  (well, maybe some at the check out).

Perhaps I shouldn’t give them ideas as I don’t want another 50 next year.  But even if they remained on the boring side as white cups with the state and name, but also had each state’s flower or bird or something like that, it would be better.  At least some creativity would be expressed.

Again, many of the other ornaments are wonderful and I applaud the nod to earlier years.  Whether you get any or all, I hope your love for Starbucks ornaments continues.