As the weather cools and the days get shorter, a funny thing seems to happen every year: people start looking for someone to “cuff” themselves to. No, not with handcuffs, though depending on your sense of humor, that might cross your mind, but in the modern sense of “cuffing season.”
Cuffing season is the time, usually starting in fall and stretching through the holidays, when people want a steady partner to snuggle up with through the cold months. Something about the combination of cozy sweaters, hot cocoa, Christmas movies, and family gatherings makes the single life feel a little lonelier. Suddenly, having someone to introduce as “my boyfriend” or “my girlfriend” sounds better than explaining, for the fifth time at Thanksgiving dinner, why you’re still single.
But let’s be honest, relationships aren’t just seasonal. They’re not supposed to be like holiday decorations that get pulled out for a few months and packed away in January. Real love, real connection, runs deeper than the desire to have someone to take selfies with under the Christmas tree.
Still, there’s something about this time of year that makes our hearts more open. Maybe it’s the spirit of generosity. Maybe it’s the memories of childhood when family was the anchor of the holidays. Or maybe it’s just the fact that nobody wants to watch It’s a Wonderful Life alone.
Here’s the lighthearted truth: if cuffing season leads someone to open their heart, even for a moment, maybe that’s not a bad thing. The real trick is deciding whether that spark is meant to last beyond the New Year.
So if you’re stepping into cuffing season, do it with a little humor, a little caution, and a lot of hope. Don’t settle just because the nights are longer and the air is colder. Look for the kind of connection that outlasts the winter, the kind of love that doesn’t just keep you warm, but makes life brighter in every season.
Because love, much like Christmas lights, shines best when it’s not boxed up and stored away, but shared year-round.
Troy P Zehnder 