Cuffing season—wanting to couple up for the winter, whether it’s to avoid being alone for the holidays or simply to have someone to snuggle with—popped up on Urban Dictionary in 2011. (The term for latching on to whoever you can find comes from handcuffing, get it?)
Since then, it’s become a full-blown cultural phenomenon. While not exactly romantic, the practical approach to your dating life makes total sense, right? While you might be all about flings in the summer, the winter is just too damn cold for that. Plus, having a seasonal S.O. does help get all those prying relatives off your back about when you’re going to settle down already. Love it or hate it, the call of a relationship—if only for the season—is undeniable.
If you’re single, and not ready to mingle without a date at all of those holiday parties, you might recognize some of these cuffing season thoughts.