Cuffing season is a new cultural relationship trend and it’s just beginning to start.

What is cuffing season? Cuffing season refers to a period of time where single people begin looking for short term partnerships to pass the colder months of the year. Cuffing usually begins in October and lasts until just after Valentine’s Day. The term ‘’cuff’’ is slang that refers to handcuffs, and means metaphorically to attach oneself to another.

Cuffing season usually starts at the beginning of autumn when the weather becomes prohibitively cold for outdoor activities. The lack of sunlight and warmth may lead some single people to become lonely. So being involved in a relationship in the winter months allows for companionship during holidays. The rise of dating apps contributed to the phenomenon. However, engaging in a casual relationship with a superficial basis may lead to emotional drama for some people in the long term.

The colder temperatures and darker days may affect melatonin and serotonin levels which theoretically could affect one’s mood in a way that leads to the cuffing phenomenon. According to social media data, people often change their relationship status to ‘’in a relationship’’ between October and February/March and a significant number change it back to ‘’single ‘’ starting March. One study found that two out of three cuffed partnerships end by June.

Urban Dictionary, an arbiter of what young people say, defined the term ‘’cuffing season’’ in 2011. The term gained popularity on social media during the fall of 2013 and 2016 and it’s used in college jargon or in music, which helped introduce it to the general public.

For those wanting the superficial benefits of a companion during winter’s lonely months, this kind of relationship might make a lot of sense.  Getting a go-to date for Christmas holiday season parties and Valentine’s Day might not be such a bad idea. In the same time, there’s no reason to believe that every relationship that happens to start during cuffing season fails once summer rolls around.

In case you’re keen to curl up with someone as you watch Netflix during wintertime or spend Christmas holidays, here are some new sensual Secret Play games that you can play to get to know your new partner better and enjoy your intimate time together.

Kinky or Vanilla is a board game in no less than 7 languages and it can be played with a partner. By answering and performing the spicy challenges and questions that we propose, you and your partner will find out if your flavours are compatible. It’s a game that focuses on communication within the couple and getting to know each other better.

Secret Pyramid is a sensual board game that can be played from 2 to 6 players, including swingers and liberals due to explicit content. The objective of the game is to find your way into a unique and hot Egyptian pyramid where you can explore the magical and mysterious world of ancient Egypt. The game ends when one of the players reaches the eye of Ra at the top of the Pyramid.  The winner will become a divine pharaoh, venerated by the others. To find out more, you need to play this fascinating game. It comes in 7 languages and the only thing you need to enjoy it is the desire to explore and experiment new things.

Foreplay Fanatics! Scratch Lovers! Is a catchy scratch & win game where both partners will discover new ways to enjoy foreplay. By scratching one option from each category (place, time, action, body part) and doing the combinations, you’ll create memorable intimate and fun experiences with your partner, no matter if it’s a short or long-term partnership.

Where you can go to hunt for a cuffing partner if you are single and ready to hook up? There are more possibilities: from using Tinder, meetup.com  or other dating apps to local coffee shops, your usual groceries, gyms, trendy bars or clubs, to libraries, bookstores or airports. Try to be creative, open-minded and allow yourself to be seduced by new experiences that will soon show up.