As Thanksgiving says goodbye, the Christmas season has finally arrived. And what do you know? Starbucks has decided to make its yearly holiday money grab.

On November 7, Starbucks released its seasonal Christmas menu that the Howl was eager to sample. Surrounded by mini plastic trees, we placed our order and waited eagerly to try three new drinks and treats.

As all things Christmas goes, peppermint is the flavor of the season. Sadly, the Peppermint Mocha was far too sweet for our liking. We were overpowered by the mintiness, which left a weird aftertaste. We were disappointed and don’t think we will be ordering this drink again anytime soon.

The Chestnut Praline Latte was nice. It was sweet and creamy with bits of toffee on the whipped cream that were subtle but big enough to really tie the drink together. This is the drink to try, as it was definitely our favorite.

The Gingerbread Chai was also delicious. It was flavorful and put us in the holiday spirit. Way to go, Starbucks! Although it was the same Chai you drink year round, the Gingerbread foam left me waving my money to get a second cup.

While the drinks did not disappoint, what about the treats?

The reindeer cake pop was just ordinary. Though it was cute, it wasn’t anything special. The Howl would recommend sticking to the cheaper, normal cake pop.

The Cranberry Bliss Bar was sweet with hints of sour from the red fruit that sat atop the frosting. It was unique and tasty.

While the Dark Toffee Bundt was yummy, and the chocolate was good, the toffee threw us off. We were expecting it to taste more like a brownie, but the toffee combo made for an odd pairing for a brownie.

Overall, Starbucks is worth the visit this Christmas. Although some treats were better than others, the Howl can strongly recommend the Chestnut Praline Latte which is one of the best we’ve ever had from Starbucks.

Rating 8/10