Freckling
- “we only ever get together in summer”
- “the word for a summer-only romance”
- “he comes back every summer then disappears”
- “opposite of cuffing season”
01 · Side by side
Side by side
Comparison sheet
| Aspect | Freckling | Cuffing season |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Summer | Autumn to winter |
| Driven by | Long light, loose plans | Cold, holidays, company |
| With | Someone already known | Often someone new |
| Ends | By fading | Around spring |
02 · Which one you meant
Which one did you mean?
In shortReaders who land here meaning Freckling rather than Cuffing season are usually searching for phrases like “we only ever get together in summer”, “the word for a summer-only romance”, “he comes back every summer then disappears”.
Cuffing Season
- “wanting a relationship just for the cold months”
- “why do I suddenly want a boyfriend every winter”
- “the word for coupling up only in winter”
- “everyone gets into relationships around the holidays”
03 · Which came first
Which came first
In shortCuffing season. 2008 — Musa Murchison is credited with popularising it on Brooklyn College's Because We Said So Radio — by their own account the phrase was already circulating in New York.
- 2008
Cuffing Season. Musa Murchison is credited with popularising it on Brooklyn College's Because We Said So Radio — by their own account the phrase was already circulating in New York.
- 2018
Freckling. Named and reported as a dating trend in the summer press; the coinage is credited to a men's magazine, though that attribution is secondhand.
04 · Read either one