Every festive season, there’s inevitably something that sends people into a frenzy. Tickle Me Elmo. Furby. The Stanley Cup. Labubu. This year, it’s Starbucks’ Bearista Cup — a beanie-donning, bear-shaped glass tumbler that has transformed coffee outings into treasure hunts.

The 20-ounce transparent cold cup, launched in Starbucks locations on Nov. 6, sports a green candy cane-striped straw and a lid that serves as a petite green hat, creating the appearance that the bear is showcasing the chain’s signature hue. Starbucks initially teased the Bearista Cold Cup on Instagram a day prior, and fans along with trinket enthusiasts quickly erupted with excitement.

By the time most patrons showed up early in the morning to secure one, the Bearista was already sold out. Reports swiftly filled TikTok and Reddit with anecdotes of stores receiving merely a few cups each, and of employees purportedly purchasing them before the doors opened.

“I faced threats and harsh words at Starbucks over the viral glass bear,” one TikTok user captioned a video of their in-store encounter.

So, yes, the bear is indeed charming. However, it’s also igniting a level of drama typically associated with limited-edition sneaker releases and Taylor Swift concert tickets. On eBay, listings for the bear are listed at prices as high as $600, with one actually having sold for $399.99.

Perhaps part of the Bearista’s charm stems from its simplicity: infusing joy in a petite form. In a world that still feels precarious — where news is grim and expenses are rising — a $30 bear-shaped cup appears to be a harmless treat. Psychologists refer to it as the “lipstick effect”: In challenging times, individuals seek out small luxuries to elevate their spirits. The Bearista doesn’t claim to revolutionize your life; it merely promises to enhance your morning coffee experience. And sometimes, that suffices.

While frustrations are valid, it’s essential to remember that baristas should not be cast as the villains in this narrative. After all, they aren’t the ones determining how many bears are allocated to each store. Starbucks understocked the product — a marketing strategy that amplifies demand while leaving both customers and employees feeling exasperated.

Starbucks, for its part, recognized the chaos, informing People on Nov. 6 that the interest in the Bearista cups “surpassed even our highest expectations.”

“Even though we distributed more Bearista cups to coffeehouses than nearly any other merchandise this holiday season,” a spokesperson mentioned, “the Bearista cup and several other items disappeared quickly.”

The company expressed its regrets for the letdown and assured that “more exciting merchandise” is forthcoming.

Until then, coffee enthusiasts and collectors will have to keep refreshing resale sites, hoping for a price drop — or opt for Starbucks’ new Hello Kitty holiday collection.