The new Go Buckets start at $3.49 and pair chicken with an individual serving of fries or potato wedges, according to KFC’s October 5 announcement.

What comes in a KFC Go Bucket?

You choose one of three chicken portions:

• Four nuggets
• Two wings
• One tender

Each comes with fries or wedges, making six combinations. KFC describes these as snacks for the space between meals. If “bucket” makes you picture a family dinner, check those chicken counts before ordering.

What does the $3.49 price cover?

That’s the starting price for the chicken-and-potato bucket. Prices and participation vary, supplies are limited, and tax, tips and fees cost extra. The listed contents don’t include a drink.

Check your local KFC menu for the available combinations and actual price before heading out. The tiny bucket is doing a lot of work, but it isn’t bringing a whole chicken dinner.

The $13 fragrance mist is part of e.l.f. POP: Tromsø, a limited-edition holiday collection inspired by the Norwegian city. There’s a matching body cream and a smaller duo, too.

What’s in the Spicy Bundt Nice collection?

• Body Fragrance Mist: $13. The full-size spray is 5.1 fluid ounces, or 150 mL.
• Silky Body Cream: $13. It carries the same holiday spice cake and orange zest scent.
• Taste of Tromsø Kit: $12. This is the travel-size body mist and body cream together.

In its October 5 announcement, e.l.f. lists cardamom, cedarwood and warm musk alongside the cake, citrus and frosting notes. That’s the brand’s scent description; we haven’t tried it.

The packaging leans into the Norway inspiration with pink, purple and orange sky artwork. Norwegian illustrator Esra Røise worked on the collection’s visuals, while Norwegian artist SKAAR created music for the campaign.

Where to look for it

The collection’s announced launch on e.l.f.’s U.S. website was October 5. The individual product links above show the current shopping options; stock can change.

More e.l.f. POP destination scents are planned for January 2027. For now, Spicy Bundt Nice is the holiday stop, with the mini duo priced a dollar below either full-size product.

Insight Editions has a new Gilmore Girls: Christmas in Stars Hollow advent calendar for 2026, and it opens into a pop-up holiday scene. There’s a gazebo, the town sign, and a three-dimensional Christmas tree with lights you can switch on.

The official calendar is listed at $50 on Insight Editions’ website. Here’s what you’re actually getting.

You decorate the tree as you count down

Instead of opening a door and finding chocolate, you open one of the calendar’s 25 doors to reveal an ornament for the pop-up tree. The little display gets more decorated as you work your way through the countdown.

That’s the part that makes this such a sweet desk or shelf idea. You get to leave Stars Hollow out all month, then add something to it each day. Coffee beside it feels appropriate.

It also includes a 56-page booklet with behind-the-scenes facts, trivia, and photos from the series, according to the official distributor listing.

Check the name before you buy

If you’re shopping for this version, look for Christmas in Stars Hollow: The Official Pop-Up, Light-Up Advent Calendar. The ISBN is 9798337405407, which is useful if a retailer has several Gilmore Girls calendars in its search results.

This is the pop-up tree-and-ornaments version. Check the product photos and description before ordering so you get the one you meant to buy.

Where to get the Gilmore Girls advent calendar

You can shop the calendar directly from Insight Editions. At our October 6 check, the publisher listed it at $50 with an Add to Cart option and a September 29, 2026 publication date. Direct shipping is limited to the U.S. and Canada.

Check the delivery estimate at checkout, especially if you want it ready for December 1. Prices and availability can change.

And if your Stars Hollow collection needs something you can keep out after Christmas, Hallmark’s Gilmore Girls perpetual calendar turns the town’s welcome sign into an everyday date display.

The Pikachu Honey Cream Latte is part of an official Pokémon collaboration that began September 30, 2026. And yes, the Japan part matters: Starbucks’ announcement covers participating stores in Japan.

There’s honey, caramel, and actual espresso in this one

According to the official drink description, the iced latte combines espresso and milk with yellow caramel-honey sauce. It gets caramel-honey-flavored whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and those red heart-shaped sugar toppings inspired by Pikachu’s cheeks.

The golden-yellow drink and chocolate stripes make the reference pretty easy to catch. Nobody had to put a whole Pikachu face on the cup.

It comes in Tall only, with announced tax-inclusive prices of ¥678 for takeout or ¥690 for dine-in. Some locations may charge different prices.

The announced sales window is September 30 through October 8, 2026, with possible shortages or an earlier end. Starbucks’ menu page also warns that some stores may already have finished selling it, so the date alone doesn’t guarantee a cup.

Each qualifying latte also comes with one original collaboration sticker, while supplies last.

The Pokémon cups are part of this, too

Starbucks announced 41 merchandise items for the collaboration, featuring original artwork by illustrator Hikaru Ichijo. Pikachu has plenty of company.

The official collection includes a 473 ml reusable cup listed at ¥1,300. Its warm-gray body and green lid frame artwork showing Pokémon gathered around coffee with a barista.

There are also 473 ml stainless-steel bottles featuring Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, and Eevee, announced at ¥6,600 each through Starbucks Japan’s online store.

The merchandise was announced for sale while supplies last. Check the current Japanese product pages for availability before settling on your favorite design.

It’s part of Dunkin’s new Avengers: Doomsday collection, arriving November 4, 2026, at participating restaurants nationwide. There are character drinks, donuts and collectibles, including a MUNCHKINS tin shaped around Doom’s mask and hood.

The glove cup sleeves are $14.99

Doom gets company in the glove lineup: Dunkin’ is also making versions inspired by Black Panther, Mister Fantastic and Captain America. They’re $14.99 each.

If a full superhero hand is a bit much for your commute, the collection also has character cup sleeves for $8.99. Those feature artwork inspired by Doom, the Avengers, X-Men and Fantastic Four.

The rest of the drinkware includes $24.99 tumblers and a $14.99 color-changing mug. Dunkin’ says the black mug changes to reveal film and Dunkin’ branding with character-inspired icons. Specific items and quantities will vary by restaurant, so the November 4 date is a starting point rather than a guarantee that every store will have every design.

Doctor Doom also gets the MUNCHKINS tin

The Doctor Doom 25-count MUNCHKINS tin is $14.99 and comes filled with assorted donut holes, according to Dunkin’s announcement. The final product image shows a silver mask inside a green hood, with the tin following the shape of his head.

Dunkin’s tin graphic lists a limit of three per guest and notes that price and participation may vary. Like the rest of the collectibles, it arrives November 4 while supplies last.

There are six character drinks, too

For the coffee side of the menu, Iced Captain’ccino combines espresso, caramel flavor and coffee milk over ice. The Thing-inspired Clobbered Cloud Latte pairs toasted white chocolate flavor with Cookie Butter Cold Foam and crumbles, while Doom Cloud Latte combines mocha and vanilla with Sweet Cold Foam and cocoa powder.

Outside the latte lineup, Black Panther’s Wakandan Daydream Refresher brings together berry-clementine, raspberry and oatmilk with Purple Marshmallow Cold Foam. Cyclops gets a blue-raspberry Optic Blast Lemonade. Doom’s Orders Energy uses Green Apple Dunkin’ Zero, sparkling water and that purple foam.

The bakery case gets a returning Brownie Batter Donut dressed as the Doomsday Donut, a cotton candy-filled Avenging Donut, and hero- and villain-inspired MUNCHKINS.

For more seasonal drinks, here is our look at Dunkin’s Halloween menu, including its green-apple and purple-foam drinks.

No scoop required. No racing the ice cream before it melts over the side of the glass, either.

According to Keurig Dr Pepper’s October 5 announcement, the soda combines the brand’s familiar 23-flavor base with vanilla ice cream flavor, caramel and butterscotch notes. That is the company’s description; we have not tasted it yet.

When can you buy Dr Pepper Ice Cream Float?

Regular and Zero Sugar versions are planned for February 2027 in cans and 20-ounce bottles. Fountain and frozen versions will follow around the middle of the year.

This is an advance announcement, so February is the month to watch. KDP has not given an exact on-shelf day, price or store-by-store rollout.

Yes, Dr Pepper float ice cream was already a thing

If the name sounds familiar, you might remember Blue Bell’s Dr Pepper Float ice cream from 2023. That was vanilla ice cream with Dr Pepper-flavored sherbet. This upcoming release takes the idea in the other direction: a float-inspired soda.

The useful part for anyone tired of chasing limited-edition flavors: KDP says this one is staying in the lineup.

Both versions of the Blackberry Yogurt Frappuccino arrive at participating Starbucks stores in Japan on October 9, 2026, according to Starbucks Japan’s announcement. The purple-cat theme is doing its job. These look like they wandered out of a tiny enchanted forest.

The ears change the chocolate

The drink combines blueberry yogurt with blackberry-chocolate sauce. Yes, there are two different berries in there: blueberry in the yogurt and blackberry in the chocolate sauce.

The black-ear version gets a bittersweet chocolate topper, while the white ears are made with white chocolate. Starbucks says you can choose your ears, though shortages may limit the options.

Both drinks come in Tall only. The announced tax-inclusive price is ¥717 for takeout or ¥730 for dine-in.

There’s a dark little scone sandwich, too

Launching alongside the drinks is a Matcha An Butter Chocolate Scone Sandwich: matcha bean paste and butter tucked into a black chocolate scone. Starbucks describes the shape as a little like a ghost sticking out its tongue, which is a lot of personality for a pastry.

Its announced tax-inclusive price is ¥412 for takeout or ¥420 for dine-in.

The rollout covers Starbucks stores across Japan, with some locations excluded. Starbucks warns that items may temporarily sell out or finish early; the announcement does not give a fixed end date.

If you’re saving Halloween drink dates, keep this Japan release separate from the U.S. Black Cat Frappuccino. That one has its own flavor and launch date. For this purple pair, it’s Japan, October 9, and whichever ears are still available.

The brand’s first 12 Days of Nestlé Toll House Advent Calendar costs $29.99 with overnight shipping included. The first drop is October 9, 2026, at 2 p.m. Eastern, with two more chances on November 6 and December 4 at the same time, while supplies last.

And yes, the box looks like a little yellow house. A cookie house full of cookie supplies feels pretty committed to the theme.

What’s inside the Toll House Advent calendar?

According to Toll House’s announcement, the calendar includes 12 cookie dough and morsel products. Two are new for the holidays: Snowflake Morsels and Snowflake Cookie Dough, a sugar cookie dough with snowflake-shaped morsels.

The rest includes Santa’s Cookie Dough, Peppermint Cocoa Cookie Dough, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and Chocolate Chip Remix Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. On the baking-chip side, there are Milk Chocolatey Flavored Football Morsels, Butterscotch Artificially Flavored Morsels, Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, Milk Chocolate Mini Morsels, and Dark Chocolate Morsels.

The house-shaped calendar is inspired by the original Toll House Inn. Its 12 numbered doors double as holiday cards, which is a cute little bonus if some of those cookies are leaving your kitchen as gifts.

The $29.99 price includes shipping, but check the delivery timing

You’ll find the drops at Toll House’s official Advent calendar shop. Shipping is available only within the contiguous United States, and there’s a limit of one calendar per order and per household.

The official product page says October 9 orders will ship approximately three weeks after purchase. Orders from the November 6 and December 4 drops will ship approximately one week after purchase. Overnight shipping describes the shipping service, so don’t plan on the October drop arriving the next morning.

The cookie dough goes in the fridge

The calendar comes with a refrigerated inner box. Toll House says to remove that inner box promptly when it arrives, take out the doughs and morsels, and refrigerate the cookie dough until you’re ready to bake it. Keep the morsels in a cool, dry place and bake the dough according to its package directions.

The little house can have its holiday countertop moment. The cookie dough needs its refrigerator space.

You don’t need to memorize a secret-menu password. You do need to leave room for the answer to depend on the restaurant and what’s happening in its kitchen.

What to say when you order

Try: “Could I please get fries from a fresh batch? I’m happy to wait.”

That makes the request clear. It’s a request, not a guarantee that every location will cook your order separately.

Where the fresh-fries tip came from

Our original story covered @laurenicc’s 2021 TikTok about asking for made-to-order fries. People have been sharing versions of this tip for years.

Teen Vogue’s 2017 reporting also described employee suggestions to ask for a fresh batch. Those anecdotes aren’t a nationwide McDonald’s service policy.

What about ordering fries without salt?

The same reporting discussed the no-salt trick, but also explained the extra work involved in keeping an order unsalted. If fresh fries are what you want, ask for that directly.

Request no salt if you want no salt. Don’t treat it as a universal freshness guarantee.

Can you demand that anything on the menu be made fresh?

Our older article repeated a Reddit claim that employees “have to oblige.” We haven’t established that as an official company policy, so it shouldn’t be presented as one.

Ask politely and find out what the restaurant can accommodate. There is a big difference between a useful ordering suggestion and promising hot fries every single time.

While you’re planning the rest of your order, here’s McDonald’s explanation for its fountain Coke. And if your question is about ingredients, see whether McDonald’s fries are vegan where you’re ordering.

Dinner first. Tiny haunted real estate afterward.

The brand’s October 5 announcement says the boxes are available now at participating locations while supplies last. Each meal includes six, nine or 12 hand-breaded Bo Bites chicken pieces, a buttermilk biscuit, your choice of side, a drink and a dipping sauce.

Some locations add Donut Bites, too

There’s one detail to check before ordering: the contents vary by market. Participating restaurants in Bojangles’ core footprint also include three Donut Bites with salted caramel dipping sauce. The announcement doesn’t promise those extras at every location.

So if the little doughnut-and-caramel situation is the part that sold you, check your restaurant’s meal description before you order.

The three boxes make one haunted house

The packaging comes in three different designs intended to form a haunted house when stacked together. That means one meal gets you one piece of the setup, rather than a complete three-box display.

Bojangles hasn’t listed a single nationwide price in the announcement. You can check your nearby restaurant and order in person, through the Bojangles app for pickup or delivery, or through participating delivery services. Specific box designs and meals are subject to local availability.

The chain is also dressing up restaurants in Charlotte, North Carolina; Plano, Texas; and Conway, South Carolina. Costume-friendly Bite Nights with giveaways are planned in Conway and at participating Florida and Texas locations, but the announcement doesn’t give a complete event calendar. Check locally before making a costume trip.

For more seasonal snacks, our Halloween food and treats guide has the candy, drinks and other limited-time finds worth a look.

It’s called Pickle Boost, and McDonald’s is giving away the free, 2-ounce bottles in Chicago on October 9 and October 11, 2026, for race weekend.

There is a catch for everyone already mentally adding one to a drive-thru order: this is a limited Chicago promotion. McDonald’s has not announced it as a nationwide menu item.

What is McDonald’s Pickle Boost?

According to the announcement McDonald’s sent us, Pickle Boost contains brine from the same pickles the chain serves. The bottle is 2 ounces, and the giveaway is free while supplies last.

A burger pickle getting its own little beverage moment is quite a career move.

Where to get Pickle Boost on Friday, October 9

The official McDonald’s release lists a preview on the Lakefront Trail at 2401 N Lake Shore Drive in Chicago.

It runs Friday, October 9, from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central Time. This is the early-access stop before Sunday’s restaurant giveaway.

These five Chicago McDonald’s locations have the Sunday giveaway

On Sunday, October 11, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Central Time, runners and spectators can get up to two bottles at these participating Chicago restaurants, while supplies last:

• 2635 N Clark St
• 1563 N Wells St
• 600 N Clark St
• 203 N LaSalle St
• 207 E 35th St

Those are the five locations McDonald’s names in the release. Don’t assume another restaurant has it just because it’s in Chicago.

Why the race-weekend pickle juice?

McDonald’s is tying the promotion to athletes’ interest in pickle brine during workouts. Its release calls the cramp angle a “rumored remedy.” That is promotional context, not a promise that Pickle Boost will prevent or treat cramps.

The concrete news here is the free bottled brine and where to find it. You can also be a spectator rather than a runner at Sunday’s giveaway, which feels like useful information for anyone more interested in the pickles than the 26.2 miles.

If you’re following the chain’s other October news, we also have the details on McDonald’s MONOPOLY returning October 6. Pickle Boost has its own much shorter window: the Friday preview and Sunday pit stops, while supplies last.

Starbucks’ 2026 Holiday Village collection includes a ceramic coffeehouse modeled after its original Pike Place store in Seattle. It arrives November 5, along with mugs, ornaments and a snow globe.

The little storefront is the whole point

In Starbucks’ official preview photo, the pieces repeat a red-and-white awning, dark-green storefront and tiny wreath on the door. The mug has a gold-colored handle, and the snow globe puts that same little coffee shop inside the glass.

Even the ornament looks like a miniature storefront. A Christmas tree can apparently have a Starbucks now, too.

Starbucks calls this the Holiday Village – Pike Place edition, a nod to the Seattle market where the company began in 1971.

When and where to look for it

The October 5 announcement says holiday drinkware and gifts will begin arriving in Starbucks coffeehouses and online at the Starbucks Shop on November 5. The Village collection is part of that launch.

Starbucks hasn’t announced prices in this preview or specified which individual pieces each location will carry. Keep that in mind before making a special trip for the tiny building.

For the drinks and food arriving alongside it, here’s our Starbucks holiday menu guide.

There are also pink strawberry bats, a ghost-faced AirPods case and a matching-style wireless charger. If your idea of Halloween is more cute little creature than blood-spattered horror movie, these are the pieces to start with.

The CASETiFY Halloween collection has plenty to scroll through. Here are four picks with the exact versions and U.S. prices shown when checked on October 5. Prices and availability can change, and different devices or case styles can cost more.

Strawberry Bats makes Halloween pink

Strawberry Bats by So Lazo puts pink and black bats among strawberries and tiny flowers. The bats have little ruffled collars, which feels like a very specific dress code for flying around after dark.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max Impact Case MagSafe Compatible version was listed at $64. The product selector also offers other case styles, so check both your phone model and the case type before ordering.

This ghost is brushing its teeth

Ghost & Miller by Koichi Yairi has a white ghost at the mirror with a green toothbrush and toothpaste. Haunting can wait. Dental hygiene apparently cannot.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max MagSafe-compatible Impact Case checked was also $64. It is the simpler of these two phone designs, with one big character doing all the work.

Your AirPods can get a tiny ghost face, too

The Ghost pods Orange Impact Case, also by Koichi Yairi, has black eyes and a bright orange oval nose on a frosted case. The official product image shows a black CASETiFY clip at the side.

The version for AirPods Pro 2 was $32. This is a protective case for that model, not a pair of AirPods, so double-check which generation you own.

The ghost charger has a blue nose

Koichi Yairi’s Ghost charger puts the face on a round magnetic wireless charger, with a blue nose this time. It was listed at $38.

Check your device and case compatibility before buying.

Starbucks confirmed the date and menu preview on October 5, 2026. We finally have an actual drink list to work with. The cup calendar still has a few blanks.

This tracker now includes the confirmed menu and merchandise dates, plus the older rumors below with their original sources. Red Cup Day is returning, but its date has not been announced.

A closer look at the new Starbucks holiday arrivals

• Starbucks’ New Apple Pomegranate Refresher Has Popping Pearls
• Starbucks Turned Its Glass Bear Cup Into a Bearista Cake Pop
• Starbucks’ Holiday Bearista Collection Has a Plush Keychain, and the Glass Bear Is Coming Back
• Starbucks Is Adding a Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese to Its Holiday Menu

When does the Starbucks holiday menu launch?

November 5, 2026. Starbucks has confirmed that date for its holiday menu. Here’s how the other holiday releases line up:

The menu launch, merchandise drops and reusable-cup giveaway have their own schedules. November 5 is not an announced date for Red Cup Day or the original Bearista Glass Cold Cup.

Tiramisu Velvet is the new holiday coffee lineup

The new Tiramisu Velvet Latte comes hot or iced, and there’s a Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew, too. Starbucks says both get mascarpone cold foam with a dusting of cocoa and coffee, taking their cue from the Italian dessert.

For something fruity, the Apple Pomegranate Refresher combines apple flavors with popping pomegranate-flavored pearls. The Snowy Apple version adds coconut milk.

Four returning drinks are named in the announcement: Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Sugar Cookie Latte and Gingerbread Chai. Chestnut Praline and Eggnog are not named in this preview, so their 2026 status remains open.

There’s a Bearista Cake Pop, too

The new Bearista Cake Pop, inspired by the glass bear cup, arrives November 5 for a limited time. The food lineup also adds a Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese and brings back the Turkey & Stuffing Sandwich with a new recipe.

Cranberry Bliss Bar, Snowman Cookie and Sugar Plum Cheese Danish are returning as well. Starbucks has not listed prices in this preview.

Holiday cups and Red Cup Day: what’s confirmed?

The Holiday Bearista, Holiday Village and Peppermint Mocha merchandise collections arrive November 5. Winter Wonderland follows November 17.

Starbucks also confirms that the original Bearista Glass Cold Cup will return during the holiday season, with timing still to be announced. That does not settle the Santa-hat and elf-cup speculation saved below.

Red Cup Day is coming back, but there is no announced date yet. Starbucks says customers will get a collectible reusable holiday cup with the purchase of a handcrafted holiday beverage at participating stores while supplies last. The October 5 preview does not confirm the November 12 date circulating in earlier predictions.

Holiday coffee for home and drinks from the TTB archives

The café menu now has its own announcement. There are also holiday coffee options for home, including the Peppermint Mocha formats below.

And these are a few TTB archive drinks that explain why certain flavors keep coming up every Christmas. The images are historical; the linked pages tell you whether the needed ingredients still exist in 2026.

Why Chestnut Praline and Eggnog were on the watch list

Our earlier watch list drew on USA Today’s October 6, 2025 report, republished by The Spokesman-Review. It named Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée, Sugar Cookie, Gingerbread, Chestnut Praline and Eggnog. The initial 2025 menu launched November 6, with Chestnut Praline and Eggnog slated for later that season.

That is last year’s information. Four returning drinks now have confirmation in the October 5, 2026 preview above. Chestnut Praline and Eggnog still need a separate 2026 announcement.

The older cup rumors, with their original sources

The specific cup designs and collaborations below remain unconfirmed. Starbucks has since announced merchandise collections and the return of the original Bearista Glass Cold Cup. Those announcements do not verify these earlier theories.

This is the nosy section. The “wait, are they actually doing that?” section. We’re collecting the theories, the wish lists, and the alleged leaks—with the source attached, because I want the gossip AND the context.

A Santa-hat or elf Bearista?

A bear cup dressed for Christmas? Fine. You have my attention.

In a September 16 Reddit comment, Competitive-Ad-7351 said they and their coworkers were speculating about a Santa-hat or elf bear cup. There’s no product photo or release date in that comment, and the market isn’t specified.

Why we’re watching: A Christmas outfit for the bear is an easy idea to get excited about. Starbucks already released a pink summer Bearista, as ABC News reported in July 2026, so we understand the guess.

Why it’s a long shot: This commenter is speculating, with no product photo, launch date, or confirmed market. We verified the comment, not a Christmas bear cup.

A Smiski collaboration?

The person who started that thread, Possible_Error_8590, was hoping for Smiskis or another cute collaboration.

That is a wish, not someone saying they’ve seen a shipment. But yes, this is exactly the kind of Christmas-cup brainstorming we’re collecting here.

Why we’re watching: The idea came up in an actual holiday-merch discussion, and it’s fun to imagine.

Why it’s a long shot: The original poster is hoping. They do not claim to have inside information. No collaboration, market, or launch date is confirmed.

Celestial cups and a suspiciously specific “leak”

A February 17 article credited to Silas at Flavor365 claims a celestial collection with color-changing cups and a matte-black jeweled design. I couldn’t trace its claimed inventory evidence to an original source.

Why it caught our attention: Color-changing Christmas cups sound fun.

Why we’re skeptical: The article’s sourcing does not establish that these products exist. This belongs in the questionable-claims pile.

The Stanley story that apparently traveled through time

Another Flavor365 article, dated February 28, alleges blue-and-gold “Celestial Pine” and purple “Sugar Plum” Stanley designs.

It also describes Christmas 2026 as a past experience and calls November 4, 2026 a Tuesday. It’s a Wednesday. I have questions.

Why it caught our attention: Those are very specific designs for an alleged leak.

Why we’re skeptical: The timeline contradicts itself, and we couldn’t verify the original leak. Treat this as an example of a claim that doesn’t hold up, not a reason to plan a shopping trip.

What happened to those November date predictions?

DrinkDigits’ September 16 forecast predicted November 5 for the holiday menu and November 12 for Red Cup Day using previous calendars. The author labeled them predictions.

November 5 is now official for the menu, thanks to Starbucks’ October 5 announcement. November 12 remains an unconfirmed Red Cup Day prediction. Getting one date right does not confirm the other.

What we’re still watching

The next useful updates are a Red Cup Day date, timing for the original Bearista Glass Cold Cup, and any additional menu announcements. We’ll keep each release’s prices, availability and purchase requirements attached to the item they actually apply to.

For the wider coffee-chain picture, we’re also keeping track of holiday drinks from Starbucks, Dunkin and Dutch Bros. If you’re still in pumpkin mode, start with our Starbucks fall guide or the separate Black Cat Halloween release.

Have a public post we should investigate? Send the original link with the screenshot. I am ready to overthink a festive cup. I just want to know which year we’re overthinking.

These tiny GuruNanda toothbrushes already have toothpaste on them.

No toothpaste tube. No sink required. No digging around for floss afterward. And after GuruNanda sent me some to try, I can confirm the important part: I actually really like them.

GuruNanda sent this product to Totally The Bomb for editorial consideration. Coverage and opinions are our own.

They are basically a tiny oral-care multitool

The official name is the GuruNanda 6-in-1 Ready to Go Butter on Gums Pre-Pasted Toothbrushes 2.0.

Each one is individually wrapped and combines a small toothbrush with fluoride-free wild-mint toothpaste, floss, a toothpick, and tongue-cleaning features. GuruNanda says you do not need to add water or toothpaste, and rinsing afterward is optional.

That is the part that makes these make sense. This is not trying to replace the toothbrush sitting next to your bathroom sink. It is the toothbrush you throw in your purse, desk drawer, carry-on, glove box, or whatever bag you are currently pretending is organized.

I would absolutely travel with these

I have actually used the ones they sent me, and they are good.

The convenience is the whole thing. You tear open the individual wrapper and everything you need for a quick brush is already there. There is no little travel toothpaste situation to lose, and you do not need to stand over a sink just to use it.

For a flight day, road trip, after lunch, or one of those days where you leave the house in the morning and somehow do not come home until midnight? This is smart.

The tiny floss situation is weirdly useful

GuruNanda built floss and a toothpick into the brush, which initially sounds like somebody kept adding features because nobody told them to stop.

But food stuck in your teeth is exactly the sort of problem that happens when you are nowhere near your bathroom. Having the extra tools right there makes more sense once the entire point is “oral care away from home.”

This is also a genuinely useful stocking stuffer

I know “toothbrush” does not normally scream exciting Christmas present.

But these are weird enough and useful enough that I would absolutely put them in stockings, travel kits, college-care packages, or little emergency kits for the car.

GuruNanda currently sells the 6-in-1 version in multiple pack sizes. Check the GuruNanda product page for the current size, price, and availability before ordering.

I did not expect “tiny disposable toothbrush with built-in floss” to become a thing I would recommend, but here we are.

The new sandwich arrives with the Starbucks holiday menu on November 5, 2026. Starbucks announced it in the October 5 preview alongside the new drinks and holiday treats.

There are two holiday sandwiches to watch

The Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese is the new addition. The Turkey & Stuffing Sandwich is also part of the holiday lineup, this time with a new recipe.

Starbucks’ official preview photo shows the grilled cheese cut open with a layer of filling between toasted bread and melted cheese. The announcement doesn’t list the full ingredients, price or nutrition yet, so this is a first look rather than a taste test.

What else is coming November 5?

The new Bearista Cake Pop joins returning Cranberry Bliss Bars, Snowman Cookies and Sugar Plum Cheese Danishes. On the drink side, Starbucks is introducing Tiramisu Velvet drinks and the Apple Pomegranate Refresher.

We have a closer look at the Bearista Cake Pop and the new Refresher and Snowy Apple version. For the whole launch, see our Starbucks holiday menu guide.

The drinks get most of the attention on Starbucks menu days. This time, lunch has something new, too.

The Holiday Bearista collection arrives November 5, 2026, in Starbucks coffeehouses and online at the Starbucks Shop, according to Starbucks’ October 5 merchandise preview.

The plush keychain is the tiny troublemaker here

Starbucks’ official collection photo shows a little bear in green attached to a bag, alongside a green bottle, a pale cold cup and a mug decorated with bears. It’s a coordinated collection without every single piece looking identical.

Starbucks says the collection includes Bearista-adorned drinkware, a collectible plush keychain and matching accessories. The announcement doesn’t give individual prices yet.

Yes, the original glass bear cup is returning

The original Bearista Glass Cold Cup is confirmed to return this holiday season. Starbucks has not announced when.

That distinction matters if the glass bear is the thing you want: November 5 is the date for the new Holiday Bearista collection. It is not an announced restock date for the original glass cup.

The collection and returning cup are separate parts of the same holiday preview. There’s also a new Bearista Cake Pop coming with the food menu on November 5.

Our Starbucks holiday menu guide keeps the drinks, food and merchandise dates together. For now, the plush keychain has a date. The glass bear still has a calendar blank.

The new Bearista Cake Pop arrives November 5, 2026, for a limited time. Starbucks says it was inspired by the iconic Bearista Glass Cold Cup.

The little bear is part of the holiday food lineup

In Starbucks’ supplied preview photo, the bear cake pop wears a little green hat. It sits alongside the returning Snowman Cookie, Cranberry Bliss Bar and Sugar Plum Cheese Danish.

The bear is the new addition to that pastry lineup. Starbucks’ October 5 announcement doesn’t specify the cake pop’s flavor or price, so we’re keeping those open rather than borrowing details from another cake pop.

The cake pop and glass cup have different schedules

The cake pop has a November 5 date. The original Bearista Glass Cold Cup is also confirmed to return this holiday season, but Starbucks says its timing will be announced later.

That means the cake pop announcement isn’t a release date for the glass bear cup. Very cute bear news, two different things to put on the calendar.

See our Starbucks holiday menu guide for the new drinks, sandwiches and merchandise collections arriving this season.

The Apple Pomegranate Refresher joins Starbucks’ holiday lineup on November 5, 2026. Starbucks describes it as crisp apple flavors with popping pomegranate-flavored pearls.

There’s a Snowy Apple version, too

If you like your Refreshers with coconut milk, that’s the other new option. The Snowy Apple version adds coconut milk for a creamier twist.

So the useful distinction is simple: Apple Pomegranate is the fruity option Starbucks announced, and Snowy Apple is the coconut-milk version. Both belong to the new holiday lineup.

We haven’t tried either one. The October 5 preview doesn’t provide prices, caffeine amounts or full nutrition details, so those are still details to check when Starbucks releases more information.

When is it coming?

November 5, 2026 is Starbucks’ confirmed holiday-menu launch. The new Refresher shares that menu with Tiramisu Velvet drinks and returning favorites including Peppermint Mocha.

Our Starbucks holiday menu guide has the full announcement and the separate dates for holiday merchandise. If you’ve been waiting for a holiday drink that isn’t another latte, this is the one to watch.

The 204-piece Halloween Skull Candle costs $19.99, and LEGO’s U.S. store currently lists it as available. This is a brick-built Halloween decoration, right down to the little flame on top.

You can change its eyes

The skull comes with two pairs of eyes: green ones and a glow-in-the-dark pair. LEGO describes the spilled-poison scene as bringing the skull back to life, which explains that very awake expression.

Spiders and a web add to the tiny haunted scene. The gold tooth is the detail that makes the whole thing, though. A skeleton with accessories.

Small enough for a shelf

The finished build stands over 7.5 inches tall, 3.5 inches wide and 3 inches deep. Check your shelf clearance, but you don’t need to rearrange the entire living room for this one.

LEGO lists the set for ages 9 and up. Instructions come in the box, and the LEGO Builder app has 3D views you can zoom and rotate while putting it together.

It’s set 40883 if you’re looking it up. You can find it at LEGO’s U.S. store; shipping is extra on a small order. And if your Halloween shelf needs company, there’s also LEGO’s pumpkin lantern with a glow-in-the-dark ghost.