Popular 2024 holiday treats

Kai Strzelecki and Lily Bruch • January 17, 2025

Whether it’s a cozy night in or an exciting holiday party with many shareable treats needed, these holiday items will always have your back. This winter season, coffee shops and stores sold a variety of holiday products.

As temperatures continue to drop and holiday menus are still available, we decided to find some of the best winter treats to keep us going this season. From Starbucks drinks to Trader Joe’s cookies, there is a wide variety of things to try this season. Grab a blanket and put on a Hallmark movie while we share the most wonderful treats of this winter season!

After Better Buzz’s Del Mar location opened a few months ago, their winter menu has become a fan favorite for students and staff at the school. The Peppermint Matcha ($7.69), Candy Cane Best Drink Ever ($6.99), Snickerdoodle Latte ($7.59), and the Eggnog Latte ($7.69) were all high on many people’s favorites list this holiday season. The Peppermint Matcha offers the perfect holiday twist on the already well-known drink. The Candy Cane Best Drink Ever combines peppermint and vanilla flavors with a classic Americano, topped with crushed peppermint candy. It can be served in three different ways: iced, hot, or blended. Better Buzz embraced the winter season with fun in-store decorations and beautifully decorated to-go cups.

The Starbucks holiday menu is highly anticipated every year, and this year it exceeded expectations. The Cran-merry Orange Refreshers ($5.75) had a bittersweet flavor to them, and with every sip taken, it brought a familiar sense of holiday spirit. The classic Iced Sugar Cookie Latte ($6.25) and Iced Gingerbread Oat Milk Chai ($6.25) both returned this year, with festive flavors and fitting names, only adding more holiday cheer to the table. While all the drinks were amazing, the Caramel Brûlée Latte ($6.45) takes the cake. It tasted very similar to a regular caramel latte but with a richer flavor, topped with whipped cream and crushed caramel pieces.

Besides the delicious drinks featured on the holiday menus, Trader Joe’s offered a variety of food items to fill plates with while snuggling on the couch or making snowmen in the yard. A few fun stocking stuffers were Cookie Mug Hangers ($14.55) and the Hot Cocoa Stirring Spoon (set of four for $14.95). The Cookie Mug Hanger was a small gingerbread man to add on the top of a mug, mirroring the effect of a citrusy slice on a drink. The Cocoa Stirring Spoon is a fun way to make hot cocoa, warming both our hearts and taste buds with every sip. The gingerbread house kit is a fun addition to holiday parties, or fun nights with friends and family. The classics returned but this time with a holiday twist: Mini Peppermint Flavored Hold the Cones ($4.59) and Scandinavian Tidings ($8.99). It’s hard to say whether the original version or the holiday editions were better, but all in all, both are amazing, tasteful treats.

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Other popular holiday treats include Pressed Juicery’s Chocolate Peppermint Sundae Freeze ($6.59) and Handel’s Peppermint Ice Cream ($4.25).

The holiday season was only heightened with delicious treats adding a bit more cheer into many’s lives. Whether it’s a cozy night in or an exciting holiday party with many shareable treats needed, these items will always have your back.

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About the Contributors

Kai Strzelecki, Writer

Kai Strzelecki joins the Falconer this year, bringing fresh enthusiasm and a keen eye for detail. Excited to dive into the world of journalism, Strzelecki hopes to uncover compelling stories and contribute to the publication’s impactful content. Beyond the newsroom, he appreciates spending quality time with family and friends and enjoys volunteering within his community as a way to give back. Strzelecki’s passion for service and attention to the fine details in everyday moments keeps him appreciative and mindful, enriching his ability to craft stories with empathy and authenticity. Strzelecki is thrilled by the opportunity to meet new people through Falconer interviews and his classes. Strzelecki anticipates a year of both educational and personal growth, along with a lot of fun.

Lily Bruch, Writer

As Lily Bruch embarks on her first year as a Falconer staff writer, she is excited to dip her feet in the water of the journalism pathway. Aside from writing and telling stories based on how she views the world, Bruch is involved in Sports Medicine at TPHS. Gaining experience and knowledge from what some may call the best of both worlds, she feels lucky to have access to these programs. Beyond her enjoyment of structured activities, Bruch also loves crafting jewelry every time Micheals has a sale, sunset-swimming in the ocean with her best friends, having fashion shows in her living room and doing activities which shoot butterflies around her stomach. Her excitement for this new journey on the Falconer is immeasurable, and Bruch cannot wait to share it with her fellow staff members.

Makaylah Gerling, Editor-in-Chief

Last year, best year. The 2024-2025 school year will serve as Makaylah Gerling's third and final year as a so-called “Falconerd,” as she rises to the challenge of Editor-in-Chief for the nationally-ranked, award winning publication, the Falconer. Gerling is excited to contribute to the immense success of the Falconer and hopefully gain national recognition once again. Last year, Gerling made her mark in the newsroom as the sports editor, as she connected her love for athletics with her growing interests in the journalistic world. During the slight chance that she makes it out of room 311, you can find her competing on Ed Burke field as a senior captain and fourth-year member of the varsity women's soccer team. Despite the growing infestation of senioritis, she is determined and focused to make her last year at TPHS worthwhile by challenging herself with courses aligned with her future career as a registered nurse, following in her mothers footsteps. Outside of TPHS, she can be found in navy blue scrubs as a Palomar Health Pathmaker Intern and a bright orange jersey as a head coach for Soccer Shots. While excited for her next adventure, Gerling is sad to say goodbye to the community she has had the pleasure to call home for these past few years.