Starbucks Holiday Cups Design Stirs Controversy (VIDEO, TWEETS, PHOTOS)

The new Starbucks cup design has stirred controversy among Christian groups. Christian evangelists have been accusing Starbucks of starting a "war on Christmas" by opting for a simple, plain, red design which the company tagged as #RedCups instead of the previous designs laden with snowflakes, trees and other things that signify the winter season.

The minimalist Starbucks design irked one Joshua Feuerstein, whose video on Facebook went viral.

"Starbucks removed Christmas from their cups because they hate Jesus," Feuerstein said on his video, according to the New York Post.

In his video, he mentioned that Starbucks staff are no longer allowed to say "Merry Christmas," so now he answers "Merry Christmas" when asked for his name. He also urged coffee buyers to post the hashtag #MerryChristmasStarbucks whenever they do the same thing.

Some religious leaders have also started to vow never to purchase from Starbucks again. One of those is Crosspointe Christian Church's student pastor Nate Weaver of Florida.

"I'm officially banning Starbucks from my life," Weaver said, according to the New York Daily Post. "With the CEO of the company telling those who support pro-life that they don't want their money and now the Red Holiday cups with nothing that might tie to Christmas on them because they want to be politically correct."

David Burrowes, a British politician has also expressed his views on how Starbucks tries to downplay the essence of Christmas.

"The Starbucks coffee cup change smells more of political correctness than a consumer-led change," he said, according to Breitbart. "The public has a common sense grasp on the reality that at Christmas time, whether you have a Christian faith or not, Britain celebrates Christmas."

Starbucks explained its minimalist design this year.

"Starbucks has become a place of sanctuary during the holidays. We're embracing the simplicity and the quietness of it. It's [a] more open way to usher in the holiday," it said, according to CNN.

The previous designs on the Starbucks cups were symbols like snowflakes, ice skates and carolers - none of which are exclusively Christian, according to Snopes. The company also sells "Christmas Blend" coffee, gift cards with holiday symbols and Advent calendars.

Below are some examples of past Starbucks holiday cups: