With Christmas jingling its bells just around the corner, many single Irish men and women are unconsciously taking part in the annual Cuffing Season festivities. This time of year is centred primarily around singletons wearing their heart on their sleeve, desperately swiping on Tinder and Bumble to try lock in a partner to snuggle up with by the fire and kiss under the mistletoe. In light of the COVID19 Pandemic, where first dates are even more difficult to arrange, with strict safety regulations and restrictions across the country, we at Intro are keen to keep the spirit of the season alive!
As termed in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, “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” and at Intro, we certainly acknowledge this. However, we also encourage singles around Ireland to think about a partner as for life, not just for Christmas. Emma Orlow, journalist for the New York Eater, sheds light on the topic of dating, stating how “even during normal times, some people had trouble relinquishing the responsibility of selecting a dating spot”. The usual mentality of Cuffing Season is to connect with someone you deem worthy of a space on your couch, with a blanket around their shoulders and a mulled wine in hand. The lead up to this includes the awkward first date in the local pub, with your pals on the bar stool next to you, or a text to invite your prospective significant other to join in on a 12 Pubs of Christmas Crawl with your work mates.
We at Intro believe that this should never be the main priority in your search for love, and although the global pandemic eliminates most of our usual first date hotspots, we are experts in the world of online dates and can help you begin your journey for love with that special someone by organizing a remote online introduction! No need for stress, just cosy up at home with a glass of wine, put on a nice shirt or blouse and follow a pre-set link to meet the man or woman that could be worthy of a spot at your Christmas dinner table.
you can focus on getting to know your date from the safety and comfort of your own home,
Virtual dating is the easiest and safest way to skip the first date nerves and engage with your match on a more personal and conversational level. By eliminating the pressure of physical contact on a first date, you can focus on getting to know your date from the safety and comfort of your own home. So when the time comes to meet in person, you already have some knowledge of their personality, their wants and needs, their sense humour and what makes them beautiful. As we like to say, “dating in Ireland should be a time of excitement and new opportunities” and this still rings true, even while the pandemic persists. It’s much easier to set time aside to meet your match when travel doesn’t come into consideration. For our members, who usually have busy work schedules, kids to mind at home or farming responsibilities, this is an ideal time for you to use up that spare hour in the evenings to engage in a meaningful conversation with someone as like-minded and kind-hearted as you are, without having to leave your house.
More Flexible Dating Roles & Preferences
Interestingly, Orlow also brings up a brilliant observation that “daters have found themselves learning to be more flexible with roles or preferences they once clung to in their dating lives” as the time spent alone during lockdown has helped people realize more about themselves, sometimes things that wouldn’t have surfaced under “normal” circumstances. At Intro, we always love for our members to look outside their usual type as more often than not, these archetypes of your perfect man or woman are what’s keeping you from finding The One!
There is so much to learn when exploring a connection with someone who isn’t your usual type. Bustle released an eye-opening blog sharing brilliant insights that can come from dating outside of your usual archetype. While reading this article, two benefits immediately stood out to me. The first was that in dating outside your usual type, you may discover hidden talents or interests that you haven’t yet explored! Many people turn to dating to fill a hole in their life with a special person, someone to grow with and learn from. What better way is there to build your relationship than having a new activity or skill to learn with that special someone!
Rethinking Your ‘Usual Type’
The second benefit of dating outside your archetype during Cuffing Season is that you can break old dating patterns and habits that haven’t worked for you in the past. As lockdown has helped people discover things about themselves that they never knew were there, many have opened their eyes to the faults they bring to the table when looking for a partner, including unhelpful and restrictive checklists.
Psychologist Gweneolyn Seidman writes in Psychology Today that 45% of daters said they have begun to put less emphasis on physical attraction than they did prior to the pandemic. If you ditch your bible-length requirements list, more often than not you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find what comes your way! After all, nobody’s physicality reflects their internal self. 52% of daters have re-evaluated their checklist when it comes to potential partners, so maybe try look outside your “usual type” because you can’t limit yourself to a particular category of people. Just because you love jazz music, that mean you can’t listen to RnB and love it just as much!
Dating is supposed to be fun and exciting and a global pandemic doesn’t have to overpower your ability to find love in 2020. The times, they are a’changing and normality has been turned on its head this year so there really is no better time to begin your search for love. The world works in mysterious ways and who knows, maybe lockdown love is on the cards for you! Happy Cuffing Season ladies and gentlemen.