Thanks to the approaching holiday season and the power of social media, the meaning behind a simple red cup has developed a deeper significance than what it appears to be.

Since Starbucks recently introduced their annual holiday-themed coffee cups, social media deemed it necessary to target the new design as a trending topic. Although the cups simply feature a bright-to-dark red ombre design, speculation over Starbucks’ motive to release this specific holiday look has rapidly increased. The seemingly plain design itself doesn’t offer much room for offense; however, social media has fueled the approach that Starbucks intent was to remove Christ and Christmas by offering this minimalistic design.

Although Starbucks has been offering holiday designs featuring seasonal symbols since 1997, the removal of all seasonal symbols is not a representation of the company’s religious standpoint or revolt. Social media personality Joshua Feuerstein posted a video in response to his “outrage” over the company’s choice of design this year. Feuerstein expressed his anger by saying that Starbucks’ plain red design was an effort to remove Christ and Christmas from their new cups. Feuerstein furthered his opinion by saying Starbucks “removed Christmas from their cups because they hate Jesus.”

As of yesterday, Feuerstein’s video has over 15 million views. In the video, Feuerstein encourages the public to go to Starbucks and give their names as “Merry Christmas” in order to “force” Starbucks into incorporating Christmas into their design. Feuerstein also urges people use the hashtag “#MerryChristmasStarbucks” as a way to start a movement.

As the debate over Starbucks’ holiday cup design has become increasingly popular over the past few days, many people initially wonder if the whole situation is satirical. Upon further realization, it can be found that the opinion over something as irrelevant as a coffee cup is actually a diverse topic of discussion. Designs in previous years featured symbols such as snowflakes, snowmen and reindeer. By not offering a design with similar symbols, people with similar views as Feuerstein argue that the removal of similar symbols are an attempt to remove the meaning of the season from their company; however, the company specified that their intent behind a plain design was that they “wanted to usher in the holidays with a purity of design that welcomes all of our stories.” Besides the fact that a company should not have to explain their reasoning behind offering a one-color design, their underlying purpose was one of parity.

Those siding with what Feuerstein expressed on Facebook are missing an important factor in their argument. How can it be argued that Starbucks is removing the meaning behind Christmas from their cups when the symbols that that had previously been used until now were not even symbols of Christianity? Removing snowflakes, snowmen and reindeer from holiday cups does not determines Starbucks’ standpoint on Christianity. Further arguments that deny the company’s “attack on Christmas” include the fact that they offer Christmas Blend coffee, Christmas ornaments and an advent calendar when the company itself doesn’t even identify itself as a Christian company.

Starbucks’ efforts to offer a design that can be enjoyed equally by everyone shouldn’t be viewed as anything other than progressive. If you are offended by Starbucks’ holiday design this year, keep in mind that not all companies will uphold your individual beliefs. There hasn’t been an uproar over Starbucks’ holiday designs in previous years from those who celebrate other holidays such as Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, so why is it that controversy occurs once a cup is released that applies to everyone?

No matter what religion you practice or how you celebrate your holiday season, you shouldn’t need a coffee cup to advocate it anyway.