Donald Trump Vs Starbucks?

      Donald Trump, one of the GOP candidates for the Republican nomination, has weighed in on the Starbucks red cup crisis and it really grinds my gears. You would think that a GOP candidate would have better things to do with his time then comment on something as silly as a red cup. “If I get elected we'll all be saying Merry Christmas again, I can tell you that much.” “No more Christmas at Starbucks.” At least he's an honest candidate, albeit a bigoted and short sighted one.

     What was the original complaint? A video that went viral the day before. The complaint, “Starbucks removed Christmas from their cups because they hate Jesus.” ... Thinking about the designs of Starbucks' past I remember them being cluttered with snowflakes, ornaments, maybe trees, and that's a big maybe. General holiday/winter themes decorated the cups like garland. Let me make that clear. They erased snowflakes not a giant picture of the Messiah off their cups.

     So why has this become such a big deal? If you ask my father it's because Christmas is American. He's partially correct. Many of the traditions we associate with the Holiday started in America, but it wasn't always a prominent American holiday. In fact, when the Puritans came to this country, they banned Christmas. “The concept of holy days implies some days are not holy.”  It did not become a national holiday until 1870 long after the days of our fore fathers.

     Where to begin with the list of people who made Christmas the grand celebration it is today? Let's start with Washington Irving. In response to political and socio-economic turmoil that plagued the US in the early 19^th century, he wrote a work of fiction depicting Christmas as the joyous, warm hearted holiday we know today. Back in Europe there was the old carnival that took place each year where the wealthy would switch roles with the poor for a day back in Europe. They would have to serve their servants, lick their boots, it was a day of heathenism. This day was designed to keep the masses from revolting.
     Instead of keeping that tradition in America, Irving created the myth of a holiday that brought people together across all boundaries not by switching ranks, but by celebrating “ancient traditions.” These traditions brought together the rich and the poor. Christmas was a magical time where good will existed towards your fellow man. Peace, humility, and kindness prevailed. Christmas existed to quell the wave of mass discontent of poor working conditions and large social and fiscal gaps in America. Many believe that Irving actually created Christmas as we know it today with his piece.

     The second part of Christmas, the myth of Santa Clause. Well, I should say Sinterklass. We all know he is a depiction of St. Nick, the artistry behind his works looks a lot like the green man surrounded in wreaths and garlands though. Doesn't it? People would always take myths or iconic images and transform them to serve a purpose. In this case the familiar iconography helped people to feel comfortable putting a face that they recognized to the man who came into their homes once a year. Scientists believe that you remember every face you see, even those you only glance at in passing, so all those random faces you see in your dream you have glanced at them once before.
      Santa Claus himself was not brought to us by any of our fore fathers. He was given to us by the Dutch. The Dutch in America celebrated St. Nicholas' day each year. They would wait for gifts in stockings or shoes. America ran with the idea of St. Nicholas. Clement Clark Moore (1823) The Night Before Christmas, Santa Claus drawn by Thomas Nash (1862), and Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus by Francis Church to name a few. Christians would soon adopt these traditions to Christmas day on December 25^th, or as it was before that, the solstice.

     Everything we know about Christmas traditions today started in the 19^th century. They are new traditions and none, (minus moving all the other traditions to December 25^th) had anything to do with Jesus. They were just a way to calm the social unrest in early America. Alright, then let's bring it home.

      Starbucks released a statement about it's cups. Starbucks, “wanted to usher in the holidays with a purity of design that welcomes all our stories.” “Embracing the simplicity and the quietness of it.” Knowing the history of our current traditions I couldn't agree more with their vision. I find peace in the plain red cups uncluttered with winter paraphernalia. I believe there is a quiet sanctuary as I stare at my pure red cup that encompasses the the desire to bring people together from all walks of life. It, like Christmas, breaks the barriers of religion, class, and economic disparities if only for an hour. It truly embraces the reasons behind the tradition. So I completely support their decision to have pure red cups.

     Also as a last side note. Howard Schulz is Jewish… perhaps instead of throwing him to the lions for removing snow flakes, which clearly means he hates Jesus, you should thank him for the social correctness of including Christmas Blend and celebrating traditions that are not his own with all of us. Just a thought.