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An evangelical activist decried the lack of the word Christmas on this year's holiday cups at Starbucks. (Starbucks) An evangelical activist decried the lack of the word Christmas on this year's holiday cups at Starbucks. (Starbucks)

An evangelical activist decried the lack of the word Christmas on this year's holiday cups at Starbucks. (Starbucks)

Jon Greenberg
By Jon Greenberg November 13, 2015

Joshua Feuerstein bills himself as an American evangelist and social media personality who connects with the Millennial generation. Feuerstein made a strong connection recently: A video he posted mocking the new Christmas cup from Starbucks was shared over 500,000 times, and got Feuerstein on CNN.

In the video, Feuerstein bemoaned the absence of the word "Christmas" on the cups.

"Do you realize Starbucks wanted to take Christ and Christmas off of their brand new cups?" he said. "That’s why they’re just plain red. In fact, do you realize that Starbucks isn’t allowed to say Merry Christmas to customers?"

Feuerstein boasted that when he ordered his specialty coffee drink and the server asked his name, he said it was Merry Christmas, so the barista would be required to write Merry Christmas on the cup.

"So guess what Starbucks," Feuerstein said. "I tricked you into putting Merry Christmas on your cup."

We decided to investigate whether Starbucks took Christ and Christmas off its holiday cups. Read the fact-check here.

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