There is no way around it. Baby, it's cold outside in Beijing! With no end in sight, it is time to get creative on how to keep warm this season.

May I suggest a winter boyfriend (or girlfriend)? Do not wallow in the smog or cold weather alone; do it with a not-so-significant other!

Due to cold weather and prolonged indoor activity, we can find ourselves lonely and curled up on the couch, too cold to click the next episode of the show we are currently binge watching. Wouldn't you rather scurry in from the cold into a warm, cozy apartment with a cup of hot cocoa and a cute companion waiting for you? I know I would.

Winter has been called the "cuffing season." This term describes a time of year when people who are usually more promiscuous find themselves desiring to be tied down. If you were born in August or September, you are living proof of this phenomenon. These months have the highest birthrates, and it is no coincidence that they are both nine months out from winter.

One reason for winter companionship is purely practical; you can conserve body heat. When your Beijing heater is not enough to keep you warm at night, cuddling up with your winter lover can make all the difference. No more frozen feet or icicle hands for you!

Another game changer is the ability to stay in your sweatpants and watch movies all day. Even though you could do this alone, it is much less depressing to spend 10-hour days rewatching Breaking Bad when you are sharing a blanket and playing footsie with your snow bunny.

We all know that having a few hot toddies or spiked coffees can really help warm you up on a cold winter's night, but it does feel a little weird to fill a cup with cheer alone. Instead of gearing up and heading across town to Sanlitun or some hutong, stay at home with your new pal and get "toasty."

If you do decide to take part in this new winter tradition, be sure to keep things casual and fun. Usually, these relationships do not make it much farther than the first budding leaf in spring.

Until then, take a night out on the town and find yourself a winter friend to get through the next few months.

Who knows, maybe your short-term winter lover will still be there when the ice melts.

This article was published on the Global Times Metropolitan section Two Cents page, a space for reader submissions, including opinion, humor and satire. The ideas expressed are those of the author alone, and do not represent the position of the Global Times.