20 long distance relationship gifts that actually close the gap
Buying a gift for someone far away is strange. You can’t see their face when they open it, and whatever you send has to do some of the work you would normally do in person: make them feel close.
So the best long distance relationship gifts are not the most expensive ones. They are the ones that either give you something to do together, or put a little bit of you into their everyday life. Here are 20 that do one or the other, grouped by what they are good at.
Gifts you can use together
These are the gifts that work best across distance, because they don’t just sit there. They give you a reason to connect.
1.Touch lamps
A pair of Wi-Fi lamps: tap yours and theirs lights up, anywhere in the world. It sounds small, but a lamp glowing when you wake up is a surprisingly strong “I’m thinking of you.”
2.Touch bracelets
Bracelets like Bond Touch pair over Bluetooth with your phones. Touch yours and theirs vibrates and lights up. They are good for couples who want a quiet signal during a workday without texting.
3.A card game made from your photos
Full disclosure, this one is ours. Heartdeck started as a gift for my girlfriend: I wanted something we would do together, not another thing for a shelf. You upload your photos, and they become a full Uno-style deck. You send the link, they tap it, and you play in real time on your own phones.
It is also a good last-minute gift, because it takes a few minutes to make and arrives instantly. Make one here.
4.A shared journal that travels
Write the first few pages, then mail the journal. They write the next pages and mail it back. Over a year you end up with a book about your relationship, in both of your handwriting.
5.A class you take together online
Sign both of you up for the same online course and do the lessons on a call. Learning your partner’s language is the most romantic version of this.
Gifts to open
Physical gifts that carry a little of you with them. These are the ones people keep.
6.Open-when letters
A bundle of sealed envelopes labelled “open when you miss me,” “open when you can’t sleep,” “open when you had a bad day.” Cheap to make, and they keep working for months.
7.A care package
Pick a theme (a movie night box, a sick day box, a “rainy Sunday” box) and fill it with things that fit: snacks, a face mask, tea, a candle, a handwritten note on top.
8.Snacks from your city
The local chocolate, the bakery you go to, the chips they can’t get at home. It is a way to share your ordinary days, which is what distance takes away.
9.A hoodie you’ve worn
Wear it for a few days, spray your perfume or cologne on it, and send it. It is the gift long distance partners mention most often, and it costs nothing if you already own it.
10.A plush with your voice
Some stuffed animals, like the ones from Build-A-Bear, can hold a short recorded message. Record a goodnight. It is a little silly and very effective.
11.A printed photo book
Pull your favourite photos together, in order, from your first date to your last visit. Add a line of text under the ones that need it. It is a reminder that you have already built something.
12.Matching jewellery
Matching rings, a necklace with both of your initials, or two halves of a pendant. Small, wearable, and a constant reminder.
Gifts for the countdown
Distance is easier when it has an end date, or at least a next date.
13.A ticket to see you
If you can afford it, nothing beats this. Put the booking confirmation in a card, or hide it at the bottom of a care package.
14.A countdown calendar
Make a small calendar, or a jar of notes, one for each day until you see each other. Each one has a memory, a joke, or a plan for the visit.
15.A two-time-zone clock
A wall or desk clock with two faces, one set to your time. It saves the daily “wait, what time is it there?” math.
16.A print of your two cities
Many print shops make map art with both of your cities and a line (or a heart) connecting them. It looks good on a wall and says the whole story at a glance.
17.A star map of a date that matters
A print of what the sky looked like on a specific night and place. It is a classic for a reason: the date is yours, and nobody else has the same one.
Digital and last-minute gifts
For when the post is too slow, or you forgot. It happens.
18.A playlist with liner notes
Make a playlist of songs that mean something to the two of you, and send a note explaining why each song is there. The notes are the gift.
19.A surprise delivery to their door
Order their favourite takeaway to their door for dinner, then eat together on a video call. It turns a delivery into a date.
20.A video from the people who love them
Ask their friends and family to record short messages, then edit them into one video. Great for birthdays that you can’t be at in person.
How to pick the right one
- Early in the relationship? Keep it light: a playlist, snacks from your city, or a game you can play together.
- Been together a while? Go personal: a photo book, open-when letters, or a star map of a date that matters.
- They are having a hard month? A care package and a surprise dinner delivery.
- Budget is tight? The worn hoodie, letters and a playlist cost almost nothing and are often loved the most.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good gift for a long distance relationship?
The best long distance gifts either let you do something together (a game you both play, touch lamps, a shared journal) or remind them of you every day (open-when letters, a worn hoodie, a photo book). A plane ticket to see each other beats almost anything else.
What should I get my long distance boyfriend?
Good long distance gifts for a boyfriend include a care package with snacks from your city, a hoodie you have worn, a game you can play together online like Heartdeck, a two-time-zone clock, or a ticket for your next visit.
What can I send my long distance girlfriend as a last-minute gift?
Last-minute ideas that still feel personal: a surprise food delivery to her door, a playlist with a note for every song, a video montage of messages from friends, or a Heartdeck card game made from your photos, which takes a few minutes to set up and arrives as a link.
Are touch lamps worth it for long distance couples?
Many couples love them. When one of you touches your lamp, the other lamp lights up, wherever it is. They need Wi-Fi on both ends, and they work best as a small daily ritual, like a goodnight tap.