make your spirits bright. wish.

If any of you have made a trip to Starbucks any time between now and last Tuesday, you will have noticed that the coffee chain has decked out their stores and replaced the traditional white and green cups with ones of a more festive variety: the red cups.

If you don't know me it is important to understand that I am a Christmas fanatic. For me, Christmas begins on the 1st of November. On that day my Christmas bedding is dug out from storage and my twinkle lights are strung delicately around my room. Christmas - at this point - has to be contained to my own room and I can only introduce it into the rest of the home in small bursts following the Santa Claus Parade, but that doesn't stop me from being festive outside of the four walls of my bedroom.

When red cups come out at starbucks it not only marks the beginning of delicious, festive, "christmas in a cup" drinks, but it also marks the point in time when my Christmas obsession becomes somewhat socially acceptable. Most people still think I'm crazy, but when I wish them a "merry christmas" or "happy holidays", I can just say, "but starbucks says it's true!" and they take my greetings and leave a little bit happier.

Red cups and the usually festive Eggnog, Gingerbread or Caramel Brulee Lattes and tasty peppermint mochas they contain make people happier. On "red cup day" (this year, November 3rd), I saw countless Facebook and/or Twitter updates expressing their love and excitement for the season and that makes me smile, gives me hope. Christmas fills people with a palpable joy that I wish lasted in everyone throughout the year. To quote John McDermott, "it's not the things you do at Christmastime, it's the Christmas things you do all year through".

This year's campaign that goes along with the red cups at Starbucks encourages their customers to "wish," because if not at christmas, when can you wish for anything you want (save for 11:11 and Birthdays...). I saw one sign in starbucks that said, "I wish that everyone could see how much we all have in common." I thought that was a wonderful sentiment and one that rings true through really all of the current world issues. Why focus on what makes us different when we can focus on what makes us similar? What comes out of such a comparison other than love, family and passion? We truly are all one. If starbucks says so, than it must be true.

What do you wish for this holiday season?

peace. love. smile. WISH.