Cuffing season is the cold weather stretch from fall to winter when single people seek a steady partner to stay in and stay warm with.
Cuffing season refers to the months between roughly October and February, when many single people suddenly want to be coupled up. The name comes from the idea of being handcuffed, or tied down, for the season.
The pattern is tied to the calendar. Shorter days, colder weather, and a wave of holidays make staying in with someone more appealing than dating around.
Apps tend to get busier in this window, and casual flings can quickly turn into something that looks like a relationship, at least temporarily.
The catch is timing. Cuffing relationships often cool off in spring, a breakup wave sometimes called uncuffing season, when warmer weather and more freedom return.
A cuffing relationship is not automatically shallow, but it helps to know your own motive. If you only want company until spring, being upfront keeps the other person from investing in something seasonal.
Related terms include winter coating and the springtime pattern of uncuffing season.