Leaves have turned amber, and there’s a tinge of frost in the air. There’s pressure to get coupled up as temperatures drop. With the holidays just around the corner, and there will be a lot of family gatherings, short-term relationships can be a convenient solution. Cuffing season is a dating trend where people feel a strong urge to seek companionship and emotional comfort in the colder months. It’s intense, but it’s fleeting. If you are wondering whether your relationship exists just to survive the holidays or is meant to last, these 17 signs can help you decode whether you’re in a cuffing season relationship.
The Timing Aligns With The Cuffing Season
If the relationship kicked off as soon as the weather turned chilly, it could be a cuffing season relationship. In July, they were fine being single, but as the leaves changed color, they suddenly sought companionship. As the colder months approach, the psychological need for comfort gets triggered. The timing wasn’t subtle; it’s seasonal.
Sudden Pivot From Solo To Snuggled
One moment, they were casual acquaintances. Next, they were texting daily and having sleepovers. The shift was so fast that it skipped the “getting to know you” stage. You know it’s cuffing season if they dive right into the relationship without the usual vetting. It doesn’t mean it’s not real, but if the pace is suspiciously fast, it’s just right to ask, “Is it love or just logistics?”
Weekend Plans Are Something Cozy
The weather is cool, and it feels great to be sharing blankets, and binge-watching Netflix shows. If they used to prefer bar hopping on the weekends, and then suddenly they prefer cozy vibes like streaming their favorite shows while sharing a blanket and chilling on the couch, it could be that they’re cuffed for the season. It’s not about not having great adventures; it’s about preferring to feel comfortable with the person while having quality time. This scene looks like it’s from a Christmas romcom movie. They’re not looking for adrenaline, but feelings of warmth.
You Become Each Other’s Plus-One in Holiday Events
Holidays are when there are lots of parties and family gatherings. While holiday gatherings are fun, they can sometimes be awkward when you’re going to an event solo. When you have a cuffing season relationship, you show up as a unit. It’s convenient. Also, it’s about being seen together as a soft launch to make the relationship seem real, even if there’s no intention to stay committed in the long run.
You’re Not Meeting Each Other’s Families
You’re seen together in every festive gathering, but you avoid meeting each other’s families. You just keep it casual, not committed. Meeting the family is a move that signals commitment intent, and in a cuffing season relationship, the goal is to focus only on the moment and avoid future planning.
The Connection Is Only Surface Level
Sure, you might share laughs and small talk, but nothing goes beyond surface level. Deep emotional intimacy takes a backseat. The conversations hover around light topics, but never around dreams, family, or long-term goals. The goal is only to stay warm and entertained during the colder months. Deepening the connection is not part of the package.
Plans Are Short-Term
When you talk about “future plans,” it rarely stretches beyond the next weekend. It’s just about the next weekend date or a movie night. It’s never about summer vacation or an anniversary plan. It’s all about the now and filling the present with warmth. In a cuffing season relationship, sometimes it’s not explicitly stated, but it’s understood that it’s not for the long haul. There’s an unspoken expiration date of the relationship.
Their Social Media Presence Is Minimal
They are always together, but they rarely post on social media. There are no matchy sweater posts, no soft launch, and no flirty comments. It’s like they are leaving no evidence of the relationship because they know it’ll end at the end of the season. This is an inherent nature of a cuffing season relationship. While they could keep it low-key, if they are usually active on social media, and they suddenly become silent, it might be a sign that their relationship is not built to last beyond the season.
The Level Of Effort Aligns With The Convenience
One significant indicator of a cuffing season relationship is that they get together because it’s easy, not intentional. They don’t go beyond the extra mile to make efforts for each other, like when you are in a lasting relationship. They only hang out with you when they need you. There are no grand gestures or surprises to make each other feel special. It’s mostly last-minute meetups and surface-level connections, aligning with the typical cuffing season dynamic.
They Go Overboard With PDA
The way they show their affection in public doesn’t feel natural. It feels performative. They could be sneaking kisses in the subway or holding hands while walking around the city. This kind of affection ramps up quickly, even after only 2 weeks of dating, to compensate for a lack of emotional depth. Couples lean on a cuffing aesthetic, where it’s warm and Instagram-worthy, but there’s no emotional connection and no plans for the long term.
They’re Only Dressed For Comfort
In typical relationships, you dress to impress. You want to look your best while you’re on a date with your special someone. In a cuffing season relationship, you show up in matching sweats, oversized hoodies, and fuzzy socks. It’s low-effort. It doesn’t mean that they’re lazy. Rather, it’s about nesting. This wardrobe shift reflects an understanding that the relationship is more about a comfort-first rhythm.
They’re Always At One Person’s Place
One telling sign of a cuffing season relationship is that the hangout is fixed. It’s always one person’s place, and never the other’s. They’re nesting in one place where it’s more comfortable or more convenient. Cuffing season thrives on being low-maintenance, and staying at one place only aligns with that. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it signals that the relationship is not growing. It’s just hibernating.
Gift-Giving Feels Obligatory
In a cuffing season relationship, the dynamic is low-maintenance. There are no extra efforts, no grand gestures, or no surprises. If one person gives a gift to the other, it feels like an obligation rather than a heartfelt gesture. They just give gifts to play the part as a couple during the holidays, but there’s less emotional weight. The gifts aren’t even personal because they don’t know each other well. The relationship feels more performative than personal.
Emotional Check-Ins Are Rare
Sure, they spend many hours together, but they’re never interested in how the other person is doing. In a cuffing season relationship, there is no space for vulnerability. When things get heavy, they tend to change the subject or avoid it altogether. They just want to keep things light and warm. They don’t exert an effort to learn more about each other’s emotional landscape. They are reluctant to invest emotionally. The relationship is all about good vibes, and emotional intimacy is not part of the equation.
The Avoid Defining The Relationship
They might be hanging out often. They are seen together in public and are overly affectionate, but the relationship has no labels. They hesitate to call it a relationship and resort to the default answer, “We’re seeing where it goes,” when someone asks. They’re hesitant to use labels because labels come with expectations, and in a cuffing relationship, things are unclear and undefined.
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