9 Heartwarming Gifts for Your Long-Distance Love

If you’re in a long-distance relationship, you don’t get to see your sweetheart every day or even every week.

This can make sending gifts more critical than usual, as it gives you another way to show your appreciation and love on days when you’re not able to be together physically.

However, sending the wrong gifts can make your significant another feel even more distant than they already do.

Check out these nine heartwarming gifts for your long-distance love to avoid this dilemma!

#1: A Customized Photo Book

The DIY option is super easy, especially if you’re both into snapping photos. Load up your favorite snapshots on a photo-printing site like Snapfish, and then create a custom book for your sweetheart using Shutterfly.

Pick out a cool-themed cover or one that features an image with both of you in it (or pick out your favorites).

Personalize your pages with captions and cute messages to tell him how much he means to you!

Then ship it off via snail mail; his birthday should be special even when he’s away from home.

#2: A Routine That Works

Schedule time to connect with your long-distance love and set up a schedule. If it’s not practical to talk on the phone or video chat every day, at least find a few times each week when you know you can spend quality time together.

This helps establish a consistent and familiar routine, even though you’re thousands of miles apart.

It will help keep you from feeling like your relationship is constantly on and off—which is a massive problem in long-distance relationships—and will allow you to build a sense of trust so that neither person feels insecure about how much time they get with their partner.

#3: Date Night Box

Here’s a romantic idea! Make a special box that can be used as a date night kit. Fill it with things like their favorite food or cologne and whatever else you think would help get you two in couple mode.

Then, you can share an intimate dinner no matter how far away your sweetheart is.

If long-distance dating is something you’re trying out, these boxes are great because they don’t take up much space in your house and can be wrapped up with a bow (just like a gift).

Here’s another fun date night box idea: make and decorate a treasure chest filled with important mementos from your relationship.

#4: Virtual Dates

Technology is one of your best friends in a long-distance relationship, as long as you don’t let it replace real-time interactions.

Start with Skype dates where you can see each other on video, and eventually try a video game together online or plan to visit websites that interest both of you.

Emailing, Texting, and Instant Messaging: You’re not going to get tons of face time with your loved ones if they live far away but emailing, texting, and instant messaging are great ways to stay connected—and learn how to love from afar by reading emails out loud to one another.

Also, set aside time each day to write down exactly what happened that day so that way you have something special to look forward to every night.

#5: An Appreciation Journal

This thoughtful, personalized gift allows your long-distance partner to document any special moments or memories you share during your time apart.

A word of warning: don’t be surprised if you feel a bit jealous reading it.

No matter how long you’ve been together, there will come a time when money is tight, and one person will have to make do without their partner for an extended period.

If that’s going to be you, take some cash from your long-distance boyfriend or girlfriend so that you can splurge on something nice every once in a while without feeling guilty about overspending.

#6: A Shipment of Homemade Baked Goods

When my partner and I first started dating, I wasn’t quite sure how our relationship would survive.

We lived hours apart, and we were both involved in different programs at school.

There was just no way to see each other as often as we wanted to, but there was one thing that could get shipped across the country regularly: homemade baked goods.

When I didn’t have time to cook dinner on a weeknight, I’d whip up a batch of cookies or brownies and ship them off.

#7: Phone Calls, Skype Dates and FaceTime Chats

Making a daily call or chatting via Skype or FaceTime is an excellent way to show your loved ones that you’re thinking about them while they’re away.

If you don’t have a video chat, use a webcam and let your significant other see your smile – even if it’s only on their computer screen.

A quick phone call to wish them good morning, tell them about what happened to you that day or say I love you will help keep both of your minds off of being apart.

If you can get ahold of some recent photos of yourself and give them to someone else before they go out of town, do it!

#8. Your Own Us Time Together

Most of us never have time to be by ourselves.

We work, eat, commute, and then we’re surrounded by friends or family at home.

But long-distance relationships are different—because you two can carve out time just for each other.

You don’t need to plan something extravagant—just a few hours out together is enough to remind each other that you’re still in love.

So please make plans to take a day trip or even stay overnight in a hotel; whatever it takes!

You may feel your relationship is being put on hold because you’re apart, but having an opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with your partner means more than you know.

#9. A Phone Call From Home

If you can’t travel to see your partner, bring a little bit of home with you. Pick up some brochures from local attractions and hotels, then call your partner on Skype or Google Voice (which allows free international calls) and describe them in detail over a few days.

Have her favorite snacks ready to eat while she’s on the phone! It will be a thoughtful surprise, but hearing about familiar things will help remind your partner of home.

sometimes nothing beats a good old-fashioned video chat. Record yourself talking about what’s happening at home—the weather, neighborhood happenings, etc.—and send it along as an email attachment or as part of an online conversation thread.

Bonus points if you record funny stuff that happened during your day!