Starbucks' Bear Cookies Look Like They've Had Their Throats Cut

Starbucks can't seem to avoid drama with its holiday offerings this year. First the chain was accused of warring on Christmas with its red holiday cups, which are festive but not festive enough for some people. Now some people have taken to Twitter because they think Starbucks' cute winter bear cookies, which actually went on sale in 2010 and are not currently available in stores, look like they've had their throats cut.

According to Refinery29, Starbucks' cute smiling, frosted polar bears were wearing big, fluffy, red winter scarves. The scarves were made of red frosting, however, and some people have been posting their photos to Twitter because they think it looked more like the bears had their throats cut.

"I gotta love Starbucks' new cookies," said Twitter user Philip Halloween. "A polar bear with its throat slit? That's a holiday you don't forget."

The polar bear cookies might not be available in Starbucks stores right now, but the photos on Twitter are functioning as a sort of Rorschach test for customers who either see cuddly winter bears snuggled up in warm red scarves, or a horrifying crime scene of near-decapitated ursines.

The polar bears haven't been around for several years, though, and the current holiday cookie is a cheery, frosted snowman wearing a jaunty scarf that cannot be mistaken for anything untoward.