Distance may make the heart grow fonder, but it sure can make the days feel long and lonely. Whether you're looking for the perfect anniversary gift or want to send a treat "just because," we've rounded up a range of ideas that will make the distance seem not so far. Read on for our picks for the best long-distance relationship gifts.
A bracelet that vibrates when your partner is thinking of you
Long Distance Touch Bracelet Set
This bracelet set helps show your love from afar: Simply touch your bracelet and the other half on your partner's wrist will light up and vibrate to show you're thinking of them.
A jar of pre-written love messages
Message Pill Co. Long Distance Messages in a Bottle
"I miss you" text messages are too predictable. Instead, send these pre-written love messages tucked away in capsules for your partner to open once a day.
An instant love letter
Lovebox Spinning Heart Messenger
Love letters in the mailbox are great, but this unique gift lets you deliver them instantly. After sending them the physical box, you can send your partner special messages via the app and a large red heart spins on their box to inform them their digital love letter inside is ready to read.
A set of aesthetically-pleasing touch lamps
LuvLink Set of Two Friendship Lamps
Even though you miss them constantly, sometimes a text message here and there doesn't feel like it gets your emotions across. When you touch your lamp, theirs lights up no matter where or how far away they are — a soothing and subtle reminder of your affection that can be placed on their nightstand or desk.
A video message from their favorite celebrity
Cameo Message
Whether you love watching Bravo shows together or they'd be tickled to hear a "happy birthday" from a "Sopranos" actor, Cameo lets you pay talent to record special messages. Prices can really range depending on who you pick, so this can also be a great gift to split amongst friends or family.
A custom care package filled with all of their favorite things
Happy Box Custom Care Package
Build a box filled with special treats — from cozy candles to unique coffee to self-care items — to light up your partner's day. Whether they need a pick-me-up on an ordinary day or a celebratory gift, this custom box will make them feel loved from afar.
A game designed to keep each other close
We're Not Really Strangers Card Game
This card game, from the popular Instagram account We're Not Really Strangers, is designed to enhance connections through a series of questions. It's a thoughtful activity you can enjoy with your partner over the phone or video chat.
A custom search-and-find book with a romantic storyline
Your Super Epic Love Quest Book
Create your very own "Where's Waldo" picture search book with custom characters for you and your partner. The storyline is about two lovers finding each other through time and space; an apt theme for any long-distance couple.
Matching bracelets of your names in Morse code
WishANDdesign Couple Name Morse Code Bracelets
If you prefer more subtle displays of your love, you can get these simple bracelets of each other's names in Morse code. You can pick your cord colors and beads for extra customization as well.
Fresh flowers delivered to their door
Urban Stems Flower Delivery
Nothing brightens up a lonely room or says, "Wish I could be there" for special occasions you're missing quite like a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. Urban Stems is the best flower delivery service we've tested with so many different arrangements, perfect for any partner.
A pair of matching undies
MeUndies Matching Pairs
A pair (or two) of fun, pj-worthy MeUndies makes it so easy to match your bottom half to your better half. Choose from countless colors and designs, including seasonal prints and fandom-inspired wear.
A digital picture frame
Aura Carver Smart Digital Picture Frame
A digital picture frame will brighten up their home with a selection of your favorite photos together. With unlimited storage, you'll be able to consistently update the selection by sending photos and videos directly to their frame using Aura's app.
A virtual portrait painting class
Uncommon Goods Couples Portrait Painting Class
Being apart doesn't mean you can't still have date nights. This 90-minute virtual class will walk you and your partner through the process of painting each other's portraits. You'll learn something and take home a memento… or at the very least have a good laugh at each other's artistic "skills."
A controller in their favorite color to play online games together
8BitDo Ultimate 2C Wireless Controller
Playing video games together is a great way to stay connected from anywhere. This inexpensive controller comes in a variety of colors to suit their preferences. Use it to play cooperatively, or competitively — your choice! Some of our favorite games for couples include Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes, Split Fiction, It Takes Two, and Blue Prince.
A box of loving to-do dates
Personalized Ticket to Love Box
With this custom love ticket box, you can still have special dates with one another despite the distance.
A sweet reminder every morning
Uncommon Ground The Kissing Mugs
Waking up each morning to a matching mug miles away will bring a smile to each of your faces. Not to mention, you could bring them together whenever you visit one another and capture the picture-perfect kiss.
A candle that smells like a place you both love
Homesick Location Scented Candles
Homesick candles are a team-favorite gift to give for any occasion. Each candle has a unique scent inspired by a different city, state, or experience. Choose one that feels special to the both of you and let them bask in that scent for months to come. You can even personalize the vessel with a message for an added heartfelt touch.
A custom puzzle of a treasured moment
JIGGY Personalized Puzzle
Commemorate a favorite memory together with a personalized puzzle until you can make more memories in person. Trouble picking the perfect photo? JIGGY has plenty of beautiful designs made by female artists to choose from, each of which come with glue to keep the puzzle as wall art once completed.
A modern day mixtape
TheBlankRecordStore 4GB USB Mixtape
Remember when "I made you a mixtape" was the most romantic thing in the world? This retro-style USB drive will take them back to the good ol' days. Even with a more modern-day, practical twist, you can load this bad boy up with all the songs you need to prove your devotion.
A custom light box with a sweet message
MagicWoOod LDR Gift Custom Magic Box
This little wooden box casts a message on a wall when lit up. You can customize it with a comforting reminder, inside joke, or anything else that they can look at whenever they need a pick-me-up.
A weighted blanket that feels like a bear hug
Bearaby Weighted Blanket
This weighted blanket from Bearaby is the next best thing to IRL cuddles and hugs. We named this attractive blanket the top pick in our guide to the best weighted blankets. The comforting pressure of a weighted blanket is calming and can even ease insomnia and anxiety. This one is available in several different weights to support a range of body sizes and is the most attractive weighted blanket we've found.
A charging stand for FaceTime sessions
Courant MAG:2 Dual-Device Charging Stand
Holding up a phone during a long call to catch up can be tiresome. Compatible with MagSafe devices, this stand props up their device while providing a wireless charge up to 15W. It also has a secondary charging pad to simultaneously power their AirPods.
A pottery kit to do together
Sculpd Double Date Night Bundle
Create something new when you are next together with a DIY craft kit. This kit provides a trio of crafts for two: air-dry clay, a candle-making kit, and paints.
A bar necklace that nods to your LDR
Somethings2Share Long Distance Relationship Bar Pendant Necklace
Bar necklaces are all the rage right now, but you can get extra creative with this one by adding your respective states or countries and a cute arrow in between. It's a lovely way to celebrate what is sometimes a pain: how truly different your locations are.
A photo book of your favorite memories
Chatbooks Classic Photo Books
When you're apart, they're probably scrolling through the memories of your last weekend together on an album on their phone. But, flipping through those memories on real pages feels so much better. Chatbooks makes it easy to do just that; upload photos directly from Instagram, Facebook, Google Photos, or your computer, and Chatbooks will quickly turn them into a high-quality keepsake photo book.
A flight of mini wines
In Good Taste Wine Flights
A glass of wine can help your partner relax after a long day. In Good Taste flights include different wines sourced from Italy, France, Portugal, Argentina, and more. It will give them something to sip on, and maybe even the opportunity to try something new.
A clock for both of your time zones
ServeWell Personalized Two Time Zone Clock
This two-faced clock can be personalized with any two time zones, so they'll never have to question if it's a good time to call.
A love letter immortalized in a blanket
Personalized Hand-Written Letter Blanket
If love letters feel too fragile, you can gift a more permanent reminder of your love with this personalized blanket. All you have to do is submit your text and choose a font to create a one-of-a-kind, utterly heartfelt present they'll wrap themselves up in all the time.
A card game to bring you closer
Esther Perel Where Should We Begin Game of Stories
Created by psychotherapist and relationship expert Esther Perel, this game is designed to encourage couples (and friends or family members too!) to foster deeper connections with great conversations. Next time you're with your significant other, you can use the 280 conversation starter cards to catch up, learn more about each other, and laugh.
An easy-to-care-for plant
The Sill Snake Plant Laurentii
Being far from someone you love can be sad. While they can't cure that feeling completely, plants are proven mood-boosters. This plant will help purify the air in their space, increase happiness and creativity, and bring a pop of vibrant color that anyone can appreciate.
A minimalist and sentimental necklace
BabyGold 14K Gold Asymmetrical Multi Initial Necklace
This beautiful and dainty necklace can be personalized with up to 5 letters, so they can always keep you close to their heart.
A weekender bag to make travel easier
Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Bag
An extra-long weekender is exactly what they need when they come visit you. This Dagne Dover bag prepares for any type of weekend trip as it contains a shoe bag, water bottle holder, and a laptop sleeve on the inside.
An adorable 3D pop-up card
I Lava You Pop-Up Card
If you want to send them a card that won't just live in a drawer, look no further. Lovepop makes 3D cards and paper bouquets you can leave out on full display, so they can get the most out of your message.
A Scandinavian-inspired conversation game
The Hygge Conversation Game
While you may not be able to physically spend lazy Sunday mornings and casual nights together at the moment, this light-hearted game can easily be transferred to FaceTime. This pack perfectly captures the feeling of well-being and togetherness that defines the Danish values of hygge and invites you into 330 cozy conversation starters with your favorite person.
A gourmet meal from home
Goldbelly Restaurant Meal Kits
If they're missing home, chances are it's about more than just you. Surprise them with their favorite restaurant or hometown meal from Goldbelly, our favorite service for gourmet meals delivered nationwide. Read more in our Goldbelly review.
A scrapbook like the one in "Up"
Our Adventure Book Scrapbook
If one or both of you happens to be a Disney fan, you can't pass on this replica of the scrapbook used in "Up." You can use it to store notes, photos, ticket stubs, and anything else you want to cherish in your relationship.
An art piece with a custom Spotify playlist
Veelu Custom Spotify Glass Art
This Spotify glass art lets your partner scan a custom song code to pull up a playlist you've created of all the tunes that remind you of each other. The art piece comes on a wooden stand, so it doubles as something nice to look at on the nightstand.
Custom map artwork
Grafomap Custom Map
Whether it's of the special place you two met or got engaged, this custom map poster keeps that memory alive. It doubles as a great interior piece and a cherished memento to store at home.
A scratch-off poster of bucket list movies to watch together
Uncommon Goods 100 Movies Scratch Off Poster
The next virtual watch party just became easier with this scratch-off movie poster. Explore 100 iconic films to scratch off your movie night bucket list.
A cute book you can fill in
Knock Knock "What I Love About You" Book
This sweet, simple book is full of prompts you can fill out to show much you really care. It's a great low-budget gift idea that they'll hold on to for years to come (and can flip to anytime they need some extra reassurance).
Conversation prompts to spice up your phone calls
Crated With Love 141 Outrageous Conversation Starters
Rather than recapping each other's day, get to know each other more with this couples game. Switch out normal conversations with this card game's ridiculous prompts that guarantee a fun phone call.
A stylish personalized print
Personalized Movie Marquee Photo Print
This artsy print can be customized to include a movie title that represents your love story, along with your names and your anniversary date. Beyond being a cute nod to your relationship, it's a nice way to look forward to the next time you can catch a movie together.
You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.
Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.