A Very Merry Starbucks Christmas

Ribbons and bows don’t really matter, do they?

And yet, I refuse to drink a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha in a plain cup. It belongs in a red cup. And I love walking into the stores to see their Christmas decorations this year. I love the green yarn balls: good combination of the “green” trend and the homespun values that are resurfacing. The stores struck a good balance this year in decorating, not too over the top and still festive and comforting. Atmosphere, in a coffee shop, is almost as important as the coffee!

So to continue my “Lessons learned in Starbucks series,” here’s what I’ve learned about creating a holiday atmosphere this season from Starbucks.

• Your theme says something, so pick it carefully. If Starbucks had chosen a glitzy, sparkly theme this year it would have struck a false note. As a nation, we’re tired with glitz, corporations that don’t stay in touch with reality, corporate bonuses. Choosing the more subdued theme of matte green and shiny red cheers us without making us edgy. I remember a couple of years ago when the stores used the green drinking straws to create the Christmas wreaths…the leading edge of the current recycling movement.
• Atmosphere matters. Starbucks could have chosen to just stick with their festive bags and retail items, but they didn’t. They communicated that celebration and community are important. And their decorations point out that those things don’t just happen on their own. So the question is, what are you communicating with your decorations, your atmosphere? Whether church, or home, you are communicating something with how you have chosen to create Christmas.
• People feel valued when you think about them. OK, so I know that Starbucks is a profit-making company, and that motive underlies everything. But stretch the metaphor here with me. When you walk into a store where the manager cares about how it looks, you know. When you walk into a church lobby where the same tired decorations are dragged out and not designed well, you know that, too. When you take time at home to honor traditions and create an atmosphere, your family and guests know. Value people. Show it.

That’s it. It’s a simple principle: be intentional with how you welcome people into your corner of the kingdom. I take great joy in sipping my peppermint mocha (although I miss the red sprinkles this year), looking at the decorations, watching people. I want to be intentional with how I work out my “welcomes” this year, too. It may not be much — it shouldn’t be much, this year — but it needs to be something. Find ways to value people.

Tagged as: atmosphere, Christmas, decorating, leadership lessons, Peppermint Mocha, Starbucks