Behind the scenes of creating the 2025 holiday cup designs
When new menu items launch throughout the year at Caribou Coffee, our team members and guests get excited, but the last launch of every year has an extra special element. Alongside our holiday food and beverages, our holiday cups show up in coffeehouses across the U.S. The designing of the much-anticipated holiday cups begins almost as soon as the previous year’s inventory runs out, making it a year-long dedication to get them just right in time for the next holiday season.
The Creative team, led by Creative Director, Leah P., looks forward to bringing the holiday cup designs to life every holiday season. Starting in January each year, the team begins creating hundreds of designs, tweaking and perfecting them before deciding on the final prints that show up on cups in our coffeehouses.
The final collection
This year’s collection features a cohesive holiday color palette with cozy coffeehouse textures – because delicious, handcrafted beverages in cozy cups equals Caribou magic. The collection of three hot cups and one cold cup feature consistent shapes that emulate our purpose to create day-making experiences that spark a chain reaction of good, along with consistent line weights and themes that allow for each of the designs to stand out on their own but also match as a cohesive group.
Meet Toni R., a member of the Caribou Creative team
Adding an extra special element to the holiday cup designs this year, Toni R. was given the opportunity to be involved with the holiday cup design process this year, making her mark on the collection. As the Creative Operations Specialist, Toni oversees the daily workflow of the creative team, agency partners, and photographers to ensure projects progress smoothly from kickoff through final delivery. She manages timelines, facilitates processes, and strengthens cross-functional alignment to keep teams connected and well supported. With a design degree and several years of experience as a graphic designer, Toni brings a deep understanding of creative craftsmanship to the team, enabling her to contribute both strategic and creative insight.
“Design has always been the way I connect with people,” Toni shared, “and working on a Caribou holiday cup has been a dream come true. I have loved this brand for years, so being able to help shape something our guests will literally hold in their hands all season felt incredibly special. It reminded me why I love the work we do, bringing joy, warmth, and a little bit of magic to someone’s everyday moment.”
Toni led the creation of the cup design known as Peppermint Dreams, which has a corresponding cold cup and was inspired by one of our most beloved holiday beverages since it brings holiday magic to those who enjoy it year after year. “The starting point for my creative process was one of my all-time Caribou favorites, the Ho Ho Mint Mocha®. That drink has always represented holiday comfort to me, with cool peppermint, warm chocolate, and the nostalgic feeling of winter traditions.” When Toni began developing the Peppermint Dreams hot and cold cups, she wanted to capture that same sense of familiar magic and turn it into a visual experience as guests enjoy their beverages this holiday season.
Enjoy the festive holiday cups at your local Caribou
So, as you embrace the holiday spirit, why not sip from a cup that’s as festive and full of cheer as the season itself? Before the end of the year, stop by any of our U.S. locations near you to grab a Ho Ho Mint Mocha, Spicy Mocha or your favorite beverage in one of these special designs. Cheers to joy and togetherness as we head into the holiday season!