For the third year in a row, multinational coffee house Starbucks has courted controversy with what some are referring to as a 'war on Christmas'.



After allegedly removing anything distinctly Christmas-themed from its holiday cups in both 2015 and 2016, Starbucks has this year found itself angering conservative Christians once again.

That's because, while this year's edition of the cup features Christmas trees, cards and presents, it also appears to contain a cartoon lesbian couple holding hands.

An advert produced to commemorate the cup also appears to show the women leaning in for a kiss, but the camera pans away before they make physical contact.

When the ad was shared online and lauded for its inclusion of an LGBT couple, Starbucks did not deny that was its intention.