Last week I was overjoyed, to say the least, to see Starbucks come out with their Christmas drinks! As most of you may know, the company takes its Christmas season more seriously than any other season. They bring in seasonal flavors, toppings, merchandise, and even Christmas-themed cups for all customers. In the United States, Starbucks is very fixed in the culture. People start warming up their excitement with the classic pumpkin spice latte, or other pumpkin spice flavored drinks. However, I was curious as to whether other countries did the same seasonal festivities or if they incorporated their culture into their local Starbucks. Also, international Starbucks are usually located in major cities so I figured they had to do something special to display the American brand.

That being said, here are some of the world’s different holiday Starbucks drinks that are exclusive to different countries!

Puerto Rico: The Coquito Crème Frappuccino is a snowy white Frappuccino made with coconut syrup, white chocolate sauce, nutmeg, and cinnamon; topped with whipped cream and spices.

If you guys didn’t know, coquito is a coconut-flavored alcoholic beverage in Puerto Rican culture, and it is HIGHLY consumed during the holiday season. Like many Hispanics, Puerto Ricans start celebrating Christmas a little bit more in advance than waiting until the 25th. Specifically, they have “parrandas” which is similar to Christmas carroling, and this unites their families and neighborhoods with food, music, and happiness during the month of December. You’ll definitely find coquito at all of these holiday celebrations.

Japan: The Merry Strawberry Cake Milk is served hot, blending tart strawberry sauce, fruit, and steamed milk topped with whipped cream and strawberry pieces. The frosty Merry Strawberry Cake Frappuccino features a decadent blended sponge cake with a shortbread base, layered with strawberry sauce and whipped cream.

I was interested to see how this drink was related to Japan’s Christmas celebration, and I was honestly surprised. After some research, I learned that it is a tradition in Japan to have a “Christmas cake”, and it is traditionally a vanilla sponge cake with whipped cream or frosting and strawberries. I think this is so cute and Starbucks did a simple yet effective job in creating a drink that relates to their culture. I sure had no idea that this was a thing in Japan and I thought it was really cute.

Mexico: Starbucks Ponche Navideño is made with warm hibiscus tea flavored with apple, guava, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Available hot or iced.

I love everything about this drink. Like the Puerto Rico Drink, Ponche Navideño is a traditional Mexican drink served during the holiday season. It is translated to “Christmas punch”, and that is literally what is it. Mexicans have their own twist to celebrating Christmas, and that is by having “posadas”. In these celebrations, families will commemorate the events of Mary and Joseph seeking shelter in preparation for the coming of Baby Jesus. Families go around neighborhoods in song and prayer, and the last house of the night will have a feast for the entire group.

After finding out about these drinks, it just gave me an incentive to travel and go try them for myself. I love how these drinks aren’t just randomly made, but they actually mean something in each culture.