With the holiday season just around the corner, some of our favorite cafe chains are going to start producing holiday drinks! There are many distinguished drinks like the peppermint mocha, or the classic hot chocolate, that you can find almost anywhere, but there are also some drinks you can only find in certain places. In this article, I’m going to be giving you some tips and tricks to find the best holiday drinks.

This year, Starbucks launched its holiday menu on November 3. Starbucks is known for some of the most notorious holiday drinks. This year, they are serving some of their classic holiday drinks, but also are bringing in some lovely new ones. Starting off with the Peppermint Mocha: this is the nineteenth year that Starbucks has been offering this drink. The peppermint mocha consists of espresso, steamed milk, sweet mocha syrup, and peppermint syrup. Then, topping it off, they add whipped cream and dark chocolate shavings. This drink is a classic Christmas drink that many people know and love. This year, Starbucks came out with a new drink called the iced Sugar Cookie Almond latte. This non-dairy drink is an amazing choice for people who cannot have dairy. This drink features Starbucks blonde espresso roast, sugar cookie syrup, almond milk, and is topped with red and green sprinkles. I personally have tried this drink and I have to say it was absolutely delightful. It was the perfect balance of the bitterness of the coffee and the sweetness of the syrup. Overall, it was a drink I will definitely be going back to get.

Much like Starbucks, Dunkin’ also launched its holiday menu on November 3. Dunkin has phenomenal holiday flavors that will definitely help you get into the holiday season. The first is one of their classics, the Toasted White Chocolate Signature latte. This latte is made with white chocolate syrup to give it the white chocolate flavor. It is then topped with whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and cinnamon sugar. This drink is a Dunkin’ classic and is loved by so many people. A new drink that Dunkin’ is adding to their lineup this year is the white mocha hot chocolate. This beverage is like a reimagined version of the Toasted White Chocolate Latte. This hot chocolate used both milk and white chocolate to give it a strong chocolate flavor. This hot chocolate is a perfect drink for people who don’t like coffee.

When I asked theology teacher Ms. Hasenbeck-Meyer what her favorite holiday drink was, she said her favorite was the Chestnut Praline Latte. This drink consists of espresso, steamed milk, and the combined flavors of caramelized chestnuts and differ- ent types of spices. Once finished, it is topped with whipped cream and spiced praline crumbs. This drink is available in three different ways: iced, hot, or blended as a Frappuccino. I also talked to James Leonardi ‘23, and he told me, “The White Chocolate Hot Chocolate from Starbucks is amazing.” This drink is made with steamed milk and white chocolate mocha pumps. This is definitely a great holiday drink choice for those who are not fans of coffee.

So many people are drawn to holiday drinks because of the limited time they are out. Everyone wants to get their hands on something that is a limited release. Also, holiday drinks help everyone get into the holiday spirit. Having a nice warm coffee or hot chocolate in your hands while it’s cold outside brings everyone together to celebrate the holidays. Not everyone celebrates Christmas, so it is great that these brands don’t specifically name their drinks off of Christmas. I hope that everyone is able to get their hands on one of these delicious holiday drinks before the season is over!