Are Cuffing-Season Relationships More Likely to End?

Once the fall season hits, the dating apps get busier. People are looking for someone to get cozy with during the holidays. There are so many appealing aspects to dating during winter. You’ll have a date for Thanksgiving, someone to take to the holiday work party, and someone to exchange Christmas gifts with under the fireplace. Then come February, you won’t need to try to bargain with Cupid because you’ll already have a Valentine.

A winter relationship can feel like something straight out of a Hallmark movie. But there’s an elephant in the room that no one talks about.

Are cuffing-season relationships more likely to end?

What’s a Cuffing-Season Relationship?

A cuffing-season relationship is formed during the late fall and winter months when people feel a strong urge to “cuff” (or commit) to being in a relationship. Between the holiday gatherings (and having to deal with grandma asking when you’ll get married), the cold, darker days that make you want to feel affection more than ever, and cabin fever, it’s the most common time to get into a relationship.

Are Cuffing-Season Relationships More Likely to End?

Once spring arrives, many relationships that start during cuffing season do come to an end. The reason is simple.

Many people get into relationships during cuffing season for comfort and convenience, not for compatibility.

A lot of people choose to get into relationships during this time of year for the wrong reasons. They’re looking for someone who they can take to holiday events and get cozy with (both physically and emotionally) during one of the darkest, most depressing times of the year.

The sad reality is that some people will choose to get cozy with just about anyone they meet during the fall and winter months, rather than carefully selecting a partner with whom they have a deep connection.

Spring Breakups Are Common

Data suggests that there’s a noticeable increase in breakups during March and April. Some relationship experts refer to it as the spring breakup season.

When the weather gets warm, people start going out again and realize that their cuffing-season relationships were formed out of loneliness and convenience rather than a genuine connection. In the spring and summer months, social events become more frequent and the daylight hours last longer. People have a motivation to meet new people and realize that the person they spent the winter with isn’t the right one for them.

But Not All Cuffing-Season Relationships Are Doomed

It’s important to keep in mind that many relationships that form during cuffing season can and do thrive even after the snow has melted and the flowers have bloomed.

When it comes to long-lasting love, it’s not about the time of year that you fall for your significant other. It’s about compatibility.

If you get together during the winter months, be sure to ask yourself the following questions:

Do we have a strong emotional connection?
Is there a consistent effort from both people in the relationship to make it work?
Do we have the same values and relationship goals?
Are we aligned when it comes to wanting (or not wanting) children?
Have we talked about a future together (once winter ends)?
Is there a genuine attraction and compatibility?
Do we communicate healthily?

If you’re able to say ‘yes’ to these questions, there’s a good chance that your relationship will survive even after cuffing season comes to an end.

The Bottom Line

While cuffing-season relationships are more likely to end once spring comes, it’s possible to fall in love at any time of the year. Relationships that are based on seasonal comfort might not work out. But if you and your partner got together for the right reasons, there’s a good chance that your relationship will last even after spring comes.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.