As if they have absolutely nothing more constructive to do, folks have latched on to both sides of Starbucks’ new coffee cup design for the holidays and turned the whole thing into a mockery.

The coffee shop chain recently unveiled its new cups for the holidays — a bright red with the Starbucks logo in green.

That’s it. No words. No other designs. Simple.

Despite the fact there is nothing anti-Christmas about the new cup design, many are saying Starbucks has made it clear it is part of the “war on Christmas” and think something should be done about it.

Even presidential candidate Donald Trump said folks should boycott the coffee shops.

Of course, in a world where any publicity is usually good publicity, Starbucks officials will probably reap the rewards of their decision to go with “simplicity and quietness” in the new design in the long run.

Let’s revisit the company’s cup designs of the recent past. Until this year, that design would include such whimsical holiday-themed items as reindeer, ornaments, snowflakes and the like.

While those past designs might somehow satisfy the ultra-Christian zealots — like those who are calling themselves the Faith Driven Consumer group — we think a move to a simple design that features nothing but the traditional colors of Christmas is just as good, if not better.

While most logical thinkers are saying this entire coffee cup flap is much to do about nothing — and we would enthusiastically agree — some have added that this kind of uproar on something so trivial could and probably will cause companies like Starbucks to move away from Christmas entirely.

We can see how that might happen. Why try to appease everyone with a cup design that will always have somebody complaining? Is it really worth it? At some point, somebody has to say the obvious: it’s just a coffee cup.

In further defense of Starbucks, its coffee shops continues to offer its Christmas Blend to customers. Would a company engaged in the “war on Christmas” do that?

And as for the cup, it could be far worse. Rather than the bright red and green, Starbucks could be putting out cups enveloped in something like the rainbow, which would give any true Christian a reason to squawk.

In this holiday season that bookends Christmas with Thanksgiving and New Year’s — a time of year traditionally awash with peace, joy and love — we hope folks will put aside this petty attack on a company that has no history of anti-Christmas efforts.

Our suggestion would be to forgot what’s on the outside of the cup and just enjoy what’s on the inside.

***

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

***

“You can’t see the wind, but you can see its effect on the leaves. That’s how I know God exists.”

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_Trinity22.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_Trinity32.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_Trinity42.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_Trinity52.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_Trinity62.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_Trinity72.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_Trinity82.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_Trinity92.jpg