Warm covers only last so long in the winter. When I woke up one day this week afraid to touch my feet to the floor, I knew the weather had changed. A dip in temperatures and it’s time to find a man. There will be no more late night hanging out on rooftops sipping weak drinks with strong men. For the single and content, winter is time to hibernate. And nobody likes to hibernate alone.

We’ve entered what has affectionately been called “cuffing season” – short for “handcuffing” – which is teenage lingo for starting a relationship.

But like any dating game, there are rules.

1. Start early – if you truly want a boo by the time the temps dip to freezing, you need to start early. You can’t just wake up on Saturday and run a marathon without any training. Finding a boo during cuffing season is the same way. You need to start entertaining prospects around Labor Day. That’s when you change your story from “I don’t want a relationship” to “I just want to see where things go.” Host try outs (dates) and start making cuts so that you can settle down with one good boo by the first cold snap in October.
2. Keep it Temporary – Cuffing season is a season as in TEMPORARY. Don’t have your potential boo think this is leading to marriage if in reality you are going to dump them the minute one hint of Spring appears. Find someone who is just trying to enjoy your company and doesn’t have a problem heading back out to the market when the flowers bloom.
3. Have a Back up – Remember how Mr. Gorgeous was so interesting when you saw him out at cook-outs and art festivals for brief periods of time? Well now that you get to spend one on one time in a confined space Mr. Gorgeous can turn into Mr. Get on my Damn Nerves quick. Keep a back up plan so that you aren’t scrambling around like a shopper on Christmas Eve. Yes you need to make cuts, but there’s nothing wrong with keeping in touch with your runner up.
4. Don’t Get Pregnant – What happens in cuffing season, stays in cuffing season… except babies and disease. Wrap it up and don’t get so caught up in your winter wonderland smanging that you forget to put protective clothing on every part of his (or her) body. Do you know how many babies were born from the DC Snow apocalypse? It’s real out here so be careful.
5. Clear Expectations –Will you give and get gifts? Will you meet friends? Will you be seen together in public or is this strictly an in-house dating situation? Although these can be awkward conversation, they are necessary. Since it’s clear (step 2) that you won’t be exchanging rings with this person, it’s best you clear up any misconceptions ahead of time and establish just what this “cuffing season” will entail. Please do not find yourself in an argument in your play-play relationship this cuffing season.

Those are my basic rules. But take caution to this as a bit of a warning – if you happen to fall in love over hot chocolate this season, make sure it’s mutual. No one wants to be the friend to emerge from winter hibernation singing Adele songs with swollen eyes.

That’s it! Those are the rules to get you started. Do you have any of your own cuffing season rules?

Read more from Dee Rene at LaughCryCuss  and Follow her on Twitter @DeeRene_LCC