What Is Cuffing Season? The Dos And Don'ts Of Finding Romance In Winter Are Explained On Twitter

As the winter months bear down on the country, a growing sense of urgency has begun setting in for many people preparing for what has informally become known as "cuffing season." The hashtag #CuffingSeasonDosAndDonts was trending on Twitter Wednesday afternoon, with users weighing in on the rules of engagement for this time of the year.

Cuffing season is an allusion to making an arrest, only it's sort of like taking a consenting significant other into romantic custody. The metaphor for seeking a romantic partner as temperatures plunge in many parts of the world follows sexually charged logic: a significant other when its cold out can help you keep warm until temperatures begin rising months later, when the "cuffing" ends to allow a return to the single life. The term does not refer to physically handcuffing anybody.

Urban Dictionary has also offered its own definition: "During the Fall and Winter months people who would normally rather be single or promiscuous find themselves along with the rest of the world desiring to be "Cuffed" or tied down by a serious relationship. The cold weather and prolonged indoor activity causes singles to become lonely and desperate to be cuffed."

The term has its roots in a 2013 hip-hop song by rapper Fabolous. While most of its lyrics are a bit too explicit to be printed by International Business Times, the point of the song is made clear to the listener during the intro:

"Though we gotta say goodbye for the summer, baby," Fabolous raps, "I promise you this — I'll send you all my love everyday in a letter sealed with a kiss."

Twitter users responded to the trending hashtag with comical memes and other humorous posts.

The concept of looking for love during the winter months is hardly a new one, according to a 2010 Mercury News column published with a "Winter is the best season for romance" headline. "Winter is the best time of the year to be with the one you love," Tyler Gustafason told the Mercury News. "Don’t forget that Valentine’s Day is in the winter. And fire warmth is romantic. It’s hard to beat having a romantic winter good time."