Studybucks: Christmas Edition ?❄️??⛄️

It’s holiday season. The days are short and cold, the nights longer and colder. Hundreds of glittering lights fill the air, which is thick scents of cinnamon, gingerbread and the sound of festive music. It’s a wonderful time of year, to say the least. And it’s around this time of year that I love to study in cafe’s, typing away on my laptop, distant Christmas tunes playing in the background and toasty drink at hand. Nothing quite beats that cosy and Christmassy feeling you get from sitting in a Starbucks around this time of year.

Which brings me to my next point – my favourite cafe to study at during the festive seasons – which as you may have already established, is Starbucks. And I get it – there are so many other smaller or independent cafes that we can support, but for me, Starbucks just offers the whole Christmas package. The ambience and vibes, at this time of year, is always perfect, as are their decorations and music. The best part, however, and the part that always wins me over, are the red cups. Or rather their festive themed drinks that they offer up from November to the end of January. For me, the red cup is iconic, and signals that Christmas is nigh’. That it’s okay to put your lights up, play Christmas music and indulge in the festive spirit.

Alas, Starbucks may have the perfect Christmas drinks, but it also has a lot of them, meaning that deciding what drink you want is half the challenge in itself. That’s why, today, I’m going to give you the rundown of my favourite holiday drinks at Starbucks.

Caramel-Toffee Nut Latte

How to order:
Tall: Latte with 2 pumps of caramel and 2 pumps of Toffee Nut + cream
Grande: Latte with 2 pumps of caramel and 3 pumps of Toffee Nut + cream
Venti: Latte with 3 pumps of caramel and 3 pumps of Toffee Nut + cream
This is my go-to Christmas coffee. It’s perfect for when you want to have something cosy and warm, whilst still getting that caramelly sweetness with a hit of Christmas. The toffee nut syrup has that perfectly nutty Christmas spice and combines it with the caramel to create an absolutely divine latte that will thoroughly warm you through and make you feel festive.

Chai Tea Latte

How to order: Repeat as above
This is another favourite of mine for when I want something just as festive, but not so coffee-y – and the best part is you can get this one all year round. The chai tea latte is almost like fall and the holidays colliding and coming together in a creamy mixture of spices, like cinnamon, cardamon and ginger – but in the most magical way. It’s the perfect drink to have when you’re on the brink of festivities, when fall is about to collapse into winter. If you want to give this a slightly more unique taste feel free to swap the regular milk out for coconut milk. Also, make sure to ask for all milk and no water in this.

Gingerbread-Cinnamon Dolce White Hot Chocolate

How to order:
Tall: White hot chocolate with 2 pumps of gingerbread and 2 pumps of cinnamon dolce
Grande: White hot chocolate with 2 pumps of gingerbread and 3 pumps of cinnamon dolce
Venti: White hot chocolate with 3 pumps of gingerbread and 4 pumps of cinnamon dolce
This is my winter go to when I don’t want any coffee or caffeine, and I can genuinely say this is one of the most beautiful drinks you will ever have. It’s like drinking sweetness and Christmas and heaven. You get this wonderfully smooth and creamy white chocolate and milk, which is gorgeous alone, along with this sugary hit of cinnamon and gingerbread, to not only make you think of quaint Christmas and villages markets but also to bring back all those nostalgic Christmas memories. The choclatieness, sweetness and spice in this really does make it feel magical and creamy when you drink, and if you’re looking for something to warm you up and make your chest feel toasty, this is the drink for you.

Caramel Macchiato with Extra Drizzle

How to order: Repeat as above
The caramel macchiato is a Starbucks classic. If you’re looking for less sweet and more coffee, this is the one. I tend to lean for this when I’m gearing up for a more intense study session where I can’t afford to get too lost in the magic of December. It’s the classic Starbucks coffee, strong and rich, laden with much lighter tones of vanilla. They then top it with a layer of caramel drizzle and I always make a point to ask for more – it makes the top look like a pool of molten gold and tastes absolutely incredible. Definitely a good one for a solid study session.

Peppermint Mocha

How to order: Repeat as above
Now I’m not one for mint, nor am I a massive fan of mochas – yet I love this drink. Something about the chocolate and peppermint pairing is so classically Christmas, and the chocolate aspect warms you from the inside, reminding you of Christmas evenings when you’re curled up on the sofa and watching a Christmas classic. This is a great one to drink when you want something warming and quintessentially classically Christmas.

Butterbeer Frappucino

How to order:
Tall: Cream based frappucino with 2 pumps of toffee nut and 2 pumps of caramel + drizzle inside the cup + cream
Grande: Cream based frappucino with 3 pumps of toffee nut and 3 pumps of caramel + drizzle inside the cup + cream
Venti: Cream based frappucino with 4 pumps of toffee nut and 4 pumps of caramel + drizzle inside the cup + cream
So it might be winter, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll stop craving cold drinks – and when you do, this is the drink for you. It follows the same flavour combo as the caramel-toffee nut latte, but with different syrup ratios, and minus the coffee. It creates a completely different taste and experience. With the cream base you get this wonderful mix of these two flavours that shouldn’t go together, but absolutely do. First, you get the deep sugary caramel and then nuttiness hits the back of your mouth and it will genuinely make you feel as though you’ve been transported to Hogsmeade at Christmas. I personally like this more than the actual butterbeer at both studios and universal.

Any of these drinks will be perfect during a Christmas study session at Starbucks, so be sure to go to your local Starbucks and check them out. What’s great is that we have a Starbucks right on campus, so head on down and try some of these festive beverages today!