In recent weeks, the cold weather might have you wondering if the warmth of hand-holding could be a solution to winter’s chill. Twinkly lights decorate houses and dorm rooms, creating the perfect mood lighting. Mall holiday displays and promotions urge you to buy gifts for your significant other. Suddenly, the world seems cozy and romantic, and you’re seeing couples everywhere. That’s typically when you realize that cuffing season is upon us.

If you’re feeling a little lost, let me fill you in. Cuffing season is the time during the colder months when everybody sheds their independent singlehood and tries to cozy up with a boo. It comes around this time of year every year: as soon as it starts to get chilly, people try to avoid loneliness by settling down and getting into serious relationships.  

This comes with the first snowfall—so many of us see the snow and think it’s the beginning of a magical Hallmark love story. The problem is that just as the snow melts, chances are, your romance will too. Then, you’ll be left to grow from the heartbreak and spring back to normal. Cuffing season is meant to be seasonal.

Some are caught off guard by romantic pursuits this time of year, and others are well prepared. Some embrace it, and others steer clear. I’m definitely the latter in both cases, and I’m here to remind you that it’s okay to be alone during cuffing season. In fact, I’m actively trying to stay that way. 

Cuffing season forces feelings of loneliness and desperation, and it makes us question if we can be happy without a partner. After all, life is so beautiful that it just needs to be shared.

I’m not angry about this—I just think that there shouldn’t be anything wrong with being single. Cuffing season is just a cultural phenomenon encapsulating our collective fear of being alone. 

Don’t get me wrong: I’m a firm believer in love, a huge fan of rom-coms, and I love seeing elderly couples hold hands. I can’t wait to find somebody special, but I’m not rushing into all of that myself just because the snow is falling. I want to take my time and feel comfortable with being alone, regardless of what season it is.

I’m not here to crush the idea of relationships and love, but merely to question their roots, especially during cuffing season. During this time, people may simply want to get into a relationship because they don’t want to be alone during the cold, dark winter. Others couple up just because they don’t want all the glitter, snow, and holiday cheer to go to waste. 

Think about every Hallmark holiday movie: the protagonist never ends the movie without a perfect kiss, and they always end up getting cuffed by somebody they’ve only known for a few days. It’s great to watch on TV or Netflix, but we shouldn’t let these kinds of stories scare us into thinking that being single during the holidays or winter season is bad.   

Cuffing season emphasizes how much pressure we put on ourselves to find a romantic partner, but we should be able to appreciate life on our own.

Winter is my favourite season, and I hate to see it tainted by cuffing season. Society drills the idea into our heads that we shouldn’t be alone, especially not during the chilly winter months. Don’t be fooled by the idea of linked arms in wool coats, and instead, be cautious about cuffing season. 

I’m not telling you to resist romantic connections—but, instead, be a little more critical of people’s motives while snow is on the ground and mistletoe is hanging from ceilings.