The Festive $5 Aldi Cup That You Won't Have To Shake Down Baristas For

I don't know if you've heard about the current kerfuffle over at Starbucks regarding a cute bear-shaped cup, but it was kind of a mess — shoppers were practically climbing over each other to get one. That is, if they even could, because they sold out almost instantaneously. Aside from slugging it out online over an eBay auction, where I'm seeing these things go for up to $50,000 (this is not an exaggeration people), what's an empty-handed beverage sipper to do this holiday season?

Well, apparently Aldi is taking advantage of the whole bear cup fiasco by releasing a similar product. It too has released a glass cup with a screw-top straw lid but in the shape of a different holiday creature altogether: a gingerbread man. The cup hit stores on November 12 and is priced at a fraction of what Starbucks charged customers for the Bearista Cold Cup (which originally retailed for $30). In fact, Aldi's gingerbread cup will merely set you back a cool $5. I will admit that the gingerbread man isn't quite as cute as a bear wearing a hat, but saving $25 per glass (or $49,995 if you've actually considered taking to eBay to get your hands on one) is a pretty good flex.

You might think that a $5 gingerbread man cup is an all-but-guaranteed get at the store, but don't count on it. While people generally shop at Aldi for its cheap groceries, its fervent customer base is also constantly on the hunt for the newest drops in what they affectionately call the "Aisle of Shame," aka the Aldi Finds section. This is where the limited-time seasonal stuff drops, from food items to home goods, and sometimes a select few products in the aisle really catch on and sell out quickly. So as much as Aldi's just hopping on some rogue Starbucks wave, these gingerbread cups could potentially sell out nearly as fast thanks to its fan base. 

You probably won't find these going on eBay for $50,000, but if FOMO really got to you with the Starbucks bear cups, you at least have a similar option for your winter cold drinks. Plus, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you only paid $5 per cup and (hopefully) didn't trample over 30 other people to get your hands on it.