There's something magical about Starbucks Christmas Blend. It could be that comforting aroma, or the harmony of distinctive flavours. Or it could be the festive packaging, wrapping the coffee like a beautiful gift. &nbsp;Let’s travel back to the beginning to see how it all began, and how it has changed the course of Starbucks history forever.

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In the early days of Starbucks, the company didn’t serve brewed coffee yet, only the fresh-roasted beans you could brew at home. If you’ve ever visited the <a href="https://archive.starbucks.com/record/our-original-store">original store at Pike Place Market</a>, you’d get the vibe – with long wooden counters and bins full of coffee beans, weighed and scooped into paper bags by hand from places like Guatemala, <a>Kenya</a> and Sumatra.

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In 1984, on the day after Thanksgiving, they decided to try something new with the launch of their first-ever holiday coffee – Starbucks Christmas Blend. The beans were carefully chosen to complement the tastes of the season with lively Latin American beans and mellow Indonesian coffees. The <a>finishing touch</a> was the addition of carefully aged beans from the island of Sumatra for a little spice.

The journey begins with fresh, unroasted (green) Sumatra coffee beans purchased at the peak of harvest. Then select lots are moved in burlap bags to Singapore, which has the perfect climate for temperature and humidity. There they rest for three to five years, aged with meticulous care. The Starbucks coffee team tastes a sample each year to see how the coffee is progressing until it reaches the optimum flavour with deep notes of cedar and sweet baking spices.

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Gay Niven was Starbucks merchandising manager that year and remembers closing the company’s five stores early the night before Thanksgiving to prepare for the holiday season. She and the team decorated with fresh poinsettias and cedar garland from the Pike <a>Place Market’s garden</a> store and lined the shelves with gift baskets filled with mugs, <a>coffee</a> and tea. And when the doors opened on Black Friday, Nov. 23, there was Starbucks Christmas Blend.

“I do think that Christmas Blend was a really a pivotal moment for Starbucks, where it really hit on something that was like, ‘This is really good,’” Niven said.

A holiday favourite takes off

The company’s single roasting plant soon struggled to keep up with demand, with customers snapping up bags of Starbucks Christmas Blend for themselves or as a gift for a friend or loved one. (This was <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/a-look-back-at-20-years-of-starbucks-cards/">more than 15 years before Starbucks gift cards</a>.)

<a href="https://archive.starbucks.com/record/dave-seymour">Dave Seymour</a>, a 42-year roasting plant partner (employee) who started on the same day as former Starbucks chief executive officer Howard Schultz in 1982, was part of a team of about 20 people in the shipping and receiving warehouse then. He remembers receiving urgent orders by phone and over voicemail and writing them down by hand on a paper order sheet. The roasters would fire up the roasting machines, and then his team would take over <a>to pack</a> the freshly roasted coffee in 20-pound metal cans and <a>deliver</a> them across town. They were often roasting so <a>quickly,</a> the cans would be warm when they arrived in stores.

“Christmas Blend was our first big hit, so we were sort of guessing on the volume, and we didn't really guess right … we would get calls for emergency 1,000-pound orders,” Seymour said. “In those days, if we did an emergency order, we could easily package it and deliver it within a couple hours.”

The next year, the buzz around Starbucks Christmas Blend began to build by autumn, and stores put up calendars to count down the number of days until its return. Once it arrived, customers would often wait in lines that stretched out the door, and store partners could spend an entire eight-hour shift scooping and bagging coffee to give to waiting customers.

Seymour remembers, “It's kind of <a>similar to</a> when they release <a href="https://about.starbucks.com/red-cup-giveaway-day/">the red (holiday) cup</a> nowadays. Everyone wants that first pound or first cup.”

A new era as a coffeehouse

In 1987, Starbucks began a new chapter as a coffeehouse and customers could enjoy Starbucks Christmas Blend as brewed coffee in stores for the first time. It marked the beginning of tremendous growth for the company. New stores opened for the first time in Chicago and Vancouver, B.C. and the store count would grow from 17 stores. By its initial public offering in 1992, the company would expand to 140 stores, and by 1999 it would have more than 2,500, including the new markets of Japan, United Kingdom and China.

<a href="https://archive.starbucks.com/record/dave-olsen">Dave Olsen</a>, a 27-year partner and creator of Espresso Roast, led the development of Starbucks Christmas Blend during this time, and it was doubtless the first sip of Starbucks coffee enjoyed by millions of new customers. It was a task he took seriously each year, striving to find that just-right balance of Latin American, Indonesian and aged Sumatra coffees for that perfect holiday cup.

“A nicely composed blend is something that doesn't grow on a single tree. It's something you put together, similar to wine blending from different varieties or different vineyards. It's a thing unto itself, and that was the objective every year,” Olsen said.

A new millennium brought a new chapter in the history of Starbucks Christmas Blend with new holiday traditions taking hold. Holiday <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/stories/2022/celebrating-25-years-of-starbucks-mostly-red-holiday-cups/">red holiday cups</a> began to signal the season and <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/stories/2022/starbucks-peppermint-mocha-a-love-story/">Peppermint Mocha would make its debut</a> in 2002. And still, Starbucks Christmas Blend remained a favorite with its festive flavours of spiced chocolate and cedar tips.

1984: Starbucks Christmas Blend is introduced as a whole bean coffee in stores, hand-scooped into paper bags.

1987: Starbucks becomes a coffeehouse, and customers can order brewed Starbucks Christmas Blend in stores for the first time.

1988: Starbucks Christmas Blend is available by mail order for the first time.

1997: Customers sip Starbucks Christmas Blend from <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2022/celebrating-25-years-of-starbucks-mostly-red-holiday-cups/">festive red holiday cups</a> for the first time.

1998: Starbucks Christmas Blend and other packaged coffees arrive on grocery store shelves.

2013: Starbucks Holiday Blend gains its own unique medium-roast blend for the holidays with bright Latin American and smooth Indonesian coffees.2015: Starbucks Reserve® Christmas makes its debut

In 2015, inspired by the opening of the first Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle the year before, Starbucks created its first Starbucks Reserve® Christmas.

<a href="https://archive.starbucks.com/record/leslie-wolford">Leslie Wolford,</a> coffee and tea development principal, was part of the team that created the inaugural holiday blend for Starbucks Reserve® Coffee. She had started with the company as a barista in 1991 and has a deep affinity for Starbucks Christmas Blend.

“Everyone has a story to share when they first experience this coffee,” Wolford said. “They can tell you where they were when they first had it. They can tell you what celebration they took it to.”

Celebrating Christmas Blend 2024

Starbucks Christmas Blend is now a family of seasonal coffees that is part of the holiday traditions of millions of people around the world, including Starbucks Christmas Blend (whole and ground), Starbucks Christmas Blend Decaf, Starbucks Holiday Blend and Starbucks Reserve® Christmas.

Gay Niven, who would go on to spend 30 years working for Starbucks, still enjoys picking up Starbucks Christmas Blend during the holidays. “In all the years it's been going on, it hasn’t been diluted in any way. (It’s always) a really nice, full-bodied blend that speaks to the Starbucks roast unapologetically,” she said. “I think it really does speak to the pride in the bag.”

Starbucks Christmas Blend: We’ll travel back to the beginning to see how it all began, and how it has changed the course of Starbucks history forever.

Learn the origin story of Starbucks most beloved holiday brew - Starbucks Canada

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Learn the origin story of Starbucks most beloved holiday brew

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Every November, colourful bags of Starbucks holiday coffees arrive in stores, beckoning to be scooped up as a gift or as the perfect <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/2019-starbucks-holiday-coffee-and-pairings-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accompaniment to a festive meal</a>. The original Christmas Blend, introduced in 1984, has been a holiday tradition at Starbucks even longer than the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/starbucks-peppermint-mocha-a-love-story/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peppermint Mocha</a> or <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2017/20-years-of-starbucks-holiday-cups/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">red holiday cups</a>, beloved for its special blend of Latin American and rare aged Sumatran beans. Over the years, the holiday coffee family has grown to include new varieties like Starbucks® <a href="https://www.starbucks.ca/menu/product/295/whole-bean" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.starbucks.ca/menu/product/295/whole-bean" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Holiday Blend</a> and <a href="https://www.starbucks.ca/menu/product/770/whole-bean" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.starbucks.ca/menu/product/770/whole-bean" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Christmas Blend Espresso Roast</a>, with fresh twists on the classic recipe.­­­ Their packaging helps tell the story of more than three decades of coffee passion and craft – if you know where to look.

“The coffee packaging is always like these little jewels that show up in the store that cue the holidays,” said Jeff Wilkson, creative director for Starbucks, whose team led <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/the-holiday-season-at-starbucks-starts-tomorrow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this year’s holiday design</a>. “They are so beautiful and they have a little bit of shine to them.”

When Starbucks first introduced Christmas Blend, it was packed into plain brown paper bags to be brewed at home. But as Starbucks transformed from a whole bean retailer to a coffeehouse, its bags became vessels for visual storytelling starting with decorative adhesive stamps and later with higher tech packaging that uses a printed laminated film, called “­­rollstock,” with a FlavorLock™ seal to help the beans to taste fresh longer. The new rollstock packages offered a larger canvas for sharing each coffee’s unique story through images and words. Christmas Blend could be <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2016/12-years-of-starbucks-christmas-blend/" target="_blank">wrapped as a treasured gift</a> – bedecked with boughs of holly, snow-filled scenes, or shimmering ornaments – along with tasting notes and brewing tips from the blend’s creators.

The artwork for the 2020 Starbucks holiday coffee bag draws from this long and vibrant tradition. Each one distinctive, with traditional reds, greens and gold with highlights of sugar plum and candy pink. They also tie into <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/the-holiday-season-at-starbucks-starts-tomorrow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this year’s holiday cup design</a>, with iconography pulled from the ribbon cup – like the Siren’s crown, tail and scales.

The coffees inside the bags are just as beautiful. Inspired by the original flavours of the holiday coffee blends, Starbucks team of expert coffee developers built upon their comfort, tradition, and familiarity while also bringing new coffees from Asia, Africa and Latin America. They also considered brewing methods such as iced and cold brew and savoury pairings as well as sweet.

“What I love about all the holiday coffees this year is that there are so many new origins and so many unique, extraordinary sensory experiences, across the portfolio,” said Mary Mayorquin, senior manager for Starbucks Global Coffee Strategy and Development.

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Christmas Blend Espresso Roast

Starbucks® Holiday Blend

Starbucks Reserve® Christmas 2020

Starbucks Reserve coffees have a keepsake card affixed to every package, each is its own work of art like the coffees themselves. Since 2015, Starbucks Reserve Christmas has been a vibrant, modern expression of the holiday, with savoury spice notes and a bright sweetness. The blend, roasted at Starbucks Reserve™ Roastery locations, features three rare and remarkable coffees: Hacienda Alsacia®, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2018/five-things-to-know-about-starbucks-coffee-farm-hacienda-alsacia/" target="_blank">from our Starbucks Costa Rica farm</a>, returns with hints of citrus alongside aged Sumatra, long treasured for its earthy, aromatic spice. New this year is the inclusion of full-bodied Sulawesi coffee from the Indonesian archipelago. These hand-selected beans, cultivated by smallholder farmers, bring a delicate butterscotch sweetness to the 2020 blend. This year’s artwork reflects the rare and magical elements of these three coffees coming together. Orange, butterscotch and warm spices all inspired the colourways, iconography and textures in this artwork with greens and reds coming in to help further celebrate the holiday season.

Available at&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.starbucksreserve.com/en-us?" target="_blank">Starbucks Reserve Roastery</a>&nbsp;locations in the United States and Canada.

Trace the journey of Starbucks holiday coffees

Customers can learn even more about Starbucks holiday coffees by using the company’s <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/new-starbucks-traceability-tool-explores-bean-to-cup-journey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new Digital Traceability tool</a> to explore the journey from bean to cup. The mobile web app will take you to meet the farmers behind the coffee, explore the growing regions where the coffee beans are sourced and roasted, and show you how they became the Starbucks coffee you know and love.

To get started, go to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://traceability.starbucks.com/#/" target="_blank">traceability.starbucks.com</a> to scan or enter the number on the back of any bag of whole bean coffee at Starbucks stores in Canada or the U.S. Or, simply visit the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://traceability.starbucks.com/#/" target="_blank">mobile web app</a> to explore anytime. Access to the mobile web app is also available through the Starbucks® app until December 31.

The packaging of Starbucks holiday coffees share the legend of more than three decades of coffee passion and craft – if you know where to look.

The Story Behind Starbucks® Christmas Blend Coffees

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The <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/the-holiday-season-at-starbucks-starts-tomorrow/" target="_blank">holidays have arrived</a> at Starbucks and this year, we’re bringing back all the familiar and special flavours customers love in our signature holiday cups to help spark joy in even the smallest of moments.

Starbucks® Holiday Beverages

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Back for its 18th year, this holiday classic is made with our signature espresso, steamed milk, sweet mocha sauce and peppermint-flavoured syrup. It's all topped off with whipped cream and dark chocolate curls. 

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Caramel Brûlé Latte

The Caramel Brûlé Latte combines espresso, steamed milk and rich Caramel Brûlé Sauce, and is topped with whipped cream and Caramel Brûlé Topping.

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Chestnut Praline Latte&nbsp;

The Chestnut Praline Latte combines espresso, steamed milk and flavours of caramelized chestnuts and spices before being topped with whipped cream and spiced praline crumbs. 

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The Eggnog Latte is a perennial holiday favourite made with rich, steamed eggnog and our signature espresso. Then we top it off with a dusting of ground nutmeg for the perfect finish.

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This Canadian exclusive is based on the classic Americano Misto! It’s espresso flavoured with Irish Cream syrup, combined with hot water, steamed milk and a light layer of foam, and finished with a strike of cocoa powder topping.

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Made with Starbucks® Cold Brew or Nitro Cold Brew with Irish Cream syrup, this beverage is topped with a frothy cap of Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam like a layer of fresh snow and a dusting of cocoa powder.

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Sweet and spicy Gingerbread syrup is combined with espresso and steamed milk, and topped with whipped cream and ground nutmeg.&nbsp;

Holiday Treats and Sweets

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There might be a little magic in this buttery shortbread snowman cookie dressed up in white chocolatey icing. 

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Cranberry Bliss® Bar

A blondie cake base, topped with sweet cream cheese icing and tart, dried cranberries and orange flavoured drizzle. Also available for purchase by the tray!

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Peppermint Brownie Cake Pop

Peppermint chocolate cake mixed with buttercream and candy cane pieces, dipped in white chocolatey coating and sprinkled with candy cane bits.

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The sweet and spicy flavour of ginger, topped with orange zest infused vanilla icing.

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Looking to enjoy your favourite seasonal beverages from the comforts of home? Find Christmas Blend whole bean coffee when you pick up your holiday beverage at Starbucks. Plus, if you’re ready to check holiday shopping off your list, look for new <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/starbucks-previews-must-have-gifts-for-2020-holiday-season/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">limited-edition seasonal merchandise</a>, including cozy mugs, tumblers, cold cups and more, available now at Starbucks stores.

The holidays have arrived at Starbucks and this year, we’re bringing back all the familiar and special flavours customers love in our signature holiday cups to help spark joy in even the smallest of moments.

Comfort and Joy: Starbucks Canada Brings Back Holiday Favourites

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