[ot-caption title=”One of Starbucks’ many seasonal drinks. (via Sabine Katsoulos, junior)”]

December has officially arrived, which means the spirit of the holidays is in full swing! This month brings in popular holiday food traditions such as gingerbread and hot chocolate. One of the many products that comes to mind to describe this time of year is none other than peppermint. Purchasing some fabulous seasonal peppermint products can help get you in the holiday spirit.

There is one company that truly engulfs the holiday season: Starbucks. The arrival of the holidays means the introduction of their  seasonal peppermint drinks. Some favorites include the Peppermint Hot Chocolate, Peppermint Mocha and White Chocolate Mocha. The added peppermint flavors make these drinks special, for an ordinary hot chocolate with a touch of peppermint is the perfect drink for the holidays. This Starbucks tradition leaves customers happy and excited about the holidays, and they wait yearly for the launch of these winter-inspired drinks.

One of the best parts of the holidays is the fragrant smell of peppermint floating in the air. Peppermint-scented candles are a great way to get into the spirit and give you the warm, comforting feeling of  the holidays. Yankee Candle sells a variety of peppermint-scented candles, one being the Peppermint Bark Candle, a mix of white peppermint, chocolate swirl, and wintergreen. Candles can last a long time, allowing you to keep the nostalgic scent circulating throughout your home all season.

Oreos are a delicious and creamy snack that customers enjoy year round, but around this time of year, Oreo releases a seasonal peppermint flavor. Not only do you get the flavor of peppermint, but also the strong aroma of peppermint fills the air as soon as you open the box of delectable treats. However, the color doesn’t exactly remind consumers of peppermint, as it is a pinkish red color. In addition to their peppermint flavored treat, Oreo has a candy-cane flavored cookie, which is extremely similar to the peppermint one.  The only noticeable difference is that the color of the Candy Cane Oreo is half red, half white. This seasonal flavor hits stores soon, so make sure to stock up on this great holiday cookie.

Another great seasonal snack are candy-cane flavored Hershey’s Kisses. These small chocolates treats are a great combination of Hershey’s chocolate and minty flavor, giving you the perfect peppermint treat. Not only do these delicious chocolates taste like peppermint, but also they look like a candy cane, striped white and red.

There are lots of different ways to get into the holiday spirit, and with the help of these popular peppermint products, you can smell and taste the holidays!

Sources: Yankee Candle, Hersheys, Junk Food Guys and Starbucks