Cuffing Season Is Upon Us — but What Does It Mean? Here's What Relationship Experts Have to Say About the Dating Phenomenon

Professional matchmaker Amber Kelleher-Andrews and relationship therapist Jaime Bronstein tell PEOPLE why and how dating habits change in the colder months

As the air cools and the leaves begin to fall, Hot Girl Summer comes to a close, and cuffing season arrives.

Although the phenomenon was named in the early 2010s to describe the time of year when people feel pressured to couple up, the trend has continued to grow on social media, with thousands of videos on TikTok using the hashtag #cuffingseason.

“It is the first day of fall which means cuffing season is upon us … I can smell it in the air,” one TikTok user wrote in a September 2024 video.

The term has become ingrained in pop culture too, with Saturday Night Live even making light of the phenomenon during a December 2022 skit with Keke Palmer, SZA, Cecily Strong, Ego Nwodim and Punkie Johnson. Although intended as a parody, the song went viral on TikTok, with nearly 5,000 users creating videos featuring the sound, fueling the trend even further over the past year.

“It feels that every year [cuffing season] gets even bigger than the previous year, and I think it started as a trend in the beginning but became a really good excuse to motivate themselves to find a partner,” professional matchmaker Amber Kelleher-Andrews tells PEOPLE.

Related: Here's What Cuffing Season Means for Your Love Life, Based on Your Zodiac Sign

So what is cuffing season? Here’s everything to know about the modern dating trend and where it originated from.

What does cuffing season mean?

By definition, cuffing season "refers to a period of time when single people begin looking for short-term partnerships to pass the colder months of the year," per Merriam-Webster.

In June 2023, Jennifer Hudson asked an audience member of The Jennifer Hudson Show to teach her about cuffing season. One woman explained, “It’s around the end of the year when it gets a little cold outside and everyone starts to couple up."

Kelleher-Andrews says that cuffing season typically begins in late September, aligning just in time for Halloween — often the first "couple photo" opportunity — and lasts until just after Valentine’s Day. However, not all cuffing season relationships end; some will blossom into the spring season and become more long-term relationships.

Where did the term cuffing season originate?

Cuffing season first appeared on Urban Dictionary in September 2011 describing the desire to be “cuffed” during the winter months. It stems from "handcuffing," symbolizing the idea of (metaphorically) being tied down to someone.

However, Kelleher-Andrews says that cuffing season existed long before the name or trend became popular.

“The trend is rising among younger people, but it's natural for us to want to be in relationships during this time of year, regardless of whether or not we label it. It’s in our natural DNA that when it’s getting cold we want to hibernate with someone,” she says. “But this kind of trend makes fun for younger people to be motivated to go find true connection and companionship.”

When does cuffing season begin and end?

When cuffing season first emerged, "season" referred to the winter months. However, in recent years, many TikTok users have started likening the "season" to "football season."

TikTok user @korbmart made a video laying out a schedule: "Scouting" runs from Aug. 1-31, "Drafting" is from Sept. 1-30, "Tryouts" take place from Oct. 1-31, "Preseason" runs from Nov. 1-30 and "Cuffing Season" lasts from Dec. 1 to Jan. 15. The "Playoffs" run from Jan. 16 to Feb. 13, culminating in the "Championship Game" on Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day.

“I hope you make it to the Championship Game,” the user said. “The schedule will change based upon feelings.”

In another video that garnered over 2 million views, TikTok user @bananabonani jokingly announced that she would be taking the season off.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce that I will be spending this cuffing season on the bench. I know this may come as a shock to some of you as I have always been a star player,” she said. “After my last game and the injury that followed, I’ve decided it’s best if I rest up this season to fully be prepared for the next team.”

Is cuffing season a real thing?

Cuffing season is a real phenomenon driven by more than just cold weather and holiday spirit — it’s also rooted in biology, licensed relationship therapist Jaime Bronstein tells PEOPLE. Many people experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD) during the colder months, a type of depression that typically arises in fall and winter, she says.

Kelleher-Andrews echoes that, explaining that when essential elements like sunshine are missing during certain seasons, people often “seek happiness and stimulation” through other outlets, such as romance and connection. These interactions can provide the endorphins usually gained from exposure to Vitamin D.

Additionally, she says that looking at winter through a romantic lens “changes the perspective” of those sometimes dreadful days, and “suddenly the cold, gloomy days turn into a romantic winter wonderland.”

There are also societal pressures, largely driven by media portrayals of the holiday season, Kelleher-Andrews adds. “[These movies] create this pressure that if we spend the holidays alone, there’s something wrong with us,” Kelleher-Andrews says.

Bronstein adds that this pressure intensifies with family gatherings where people are often asked about their love lives.

“People want dates for holiday events, they want dates to bring home to their family,” Bronstein says. “For a lot of people, showing up single and alone makes them feel worse.”

However, Bronstein also points out that winter is a time of hope and can bring new opportunities. Attending events alone doesn’t have to be a couples parade; it can also increase your chances of meeting someone at the event.

Are there rules to cuffing season?

As everyone approaches cuffing season with different expectations, Kelleher-Andrews suggests ensuring that both partners are aligned. Some individuals may seek a lasting relationship, while others might simply want companionship to get through the colder months.

“If [someone] plans to dispose of them when the sun comes out, the days get longer, [they] have more opportunities to go to the beach or the bar and you’re less likely to want to cuddle by the fire and drink Coco together, then [they] need to communicate that,” Kelleher-Andrews says. “Know that what you’re both doing has a beginning, a middle and an end.”

In one video, TikTok user @elirallo shared her list of cuffing season rules, which included taking the pressure off, manifesting and a 10-date theory.

“Set up dating goals, like ‘I’m going to go on 10 first dates.’ When you have a goal, it’s easier, it’s like a to-do list,” the user said. “You might find that person on the third date, you might find them on the fifth, you might find them on the seventh, you might find them on the first. A goal.”

The same user also highlighted that cuffing season doesn’t have to be about a romantic partner.

“A cuff doesn’t have to be a person. You can cuff yourself this holiday season, you can cuff a friend, a passion, a career,” she said. “Cuff yourself to something, winter can be hard.”

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