These Adorable Vintage Peanut Butter Glass Jars Will Make You Forget About The Starbucks Bearista Cup

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Anyone dwelling within the Starbucks universe likely knows about those cute little holiday Bearista cups, the ones that arrived and departed like a twinkle in Santa's eye. Customers, fans, collectors, and resellers eagerly anticipated the release of these Starbucks Bearista cold cups shaped like pudgy, bright-eyed honey bears — but most left empty-handed after long lines and multiple complaints over severely limited supplies and no per-person purchase limits. Alas, the window to buy these has closed for this season, but there's a vintage alternative you can scoop up with a few simple clicks.

Quietly making its way through online resale sites such as eBay is a parade of vintage Skippy Peanut Butter teddy bear jars, relics of yesteryear, no longer available in supermarkets or filled with peanut butter. Like the Starbucks Bearista, the Skippy bear jars are made of glass, but are larger at 48 ounces compared to the 20-ounce Bearista cups. Skippy versions can be less expensive, depending on the seller, and they're more accessible — for now. During November 7-12, fewer than 10 Skippys were sold on eBay for roughly the same or slightly less, including shipping, than the $30 price of Starbucks Bearista cups.

Price-gouging for genuine Starbucks Bearista cups is rampant, with resale prices over $200 or even up to $1,000. That's no surprise, given the cups reportedly sold out completely the same day they were released, on November 6. The high-profile Starbucks debacle has led to some tongue-in-cheek nods from the likes of Costco, whose Kirkland Signature line offers large three-packs of raw honey in bear-shaped containers. The company posted a photo of its honey-bear lookalike, sporting a green lid with straw, and a three-word caption: "How bear-y convenient."

If you're itching to get your hands on the vintage Skippy alternative to a Starbucks Bearista cup, you'll likely find them on eBay or Etsy. Use search terms such as "Skippy Bear Glass Jar" or "Skippy Peanut Butter Teddy Bear Jar." Adding the word "vintage" may broaden the results pool. Be aware that some listings that crop up, especially on Etsy and Poshmark, may actually be a similar style of glass jar featuring a beaver rather than your desired teddy bear. Be sure to check condition, looking for details such as chips, cracks, or fading.

In addition to purchasing a vintage Skippy teddy bear jar, you can also find glass bear-shaped jars on Amazon, available either as single jars or in multi packs of 12 or more. Some even come with blue lids and matching striped straws, eerily similar to the elusive Starbucks Bearista cups, though in smaller 12-ounce sizes — perfect for espresso shots, juices, or boozy-bear mini-cocktails.