The Best Long Distance Relationship Gifts to Make Distance Feel Smaller
Being in a long distance relationship comes with big challenges–we all know that. And when you’re trying to find the best long distance relationship gifts, suddenly everything feels either too cheesy or not meaningful enough.
So, we made you a list that’s equal parts sentimental, funny, and romantic, which is perfect for couples who want to stay connected across miles or kilometres. These long distance gift ideas work for every occasion and hit all the right notes Here’s what we covered:
- Physical gifts
- Mobile apps or online activities, which are the best gifts for a long distance relationship
- Do it yourself (DIY) gifts
- Personalized gifts
What is the Best Gift for a Long Distance Relationship?
Before we dive into our suggestions, let’s break down what makes a good gift for a long distance relationship. We believe in a few simple principles:
- It makes you feel connected with your partner, even miles apart.
- It’s made for you two and your unique relationship.
- It’s accessible for both of you.
We can’t say for sure what’s the best gift for long distance as all couples and individuals are different, but any present that hits all three of these criteria qualifies as a winner.
Now, let’s dive into our list of suggestions that will help melt the space between you two.
1. Relationship App ❣️
Thanks to technology, long distance isn’t as scary as it used to be when we had to rely on phone calls or letters. We now have apps that are specially designed to keep relationships alive and bring us closer. However, some couples apps are better suited for long distance than others.
One of the best apps for couples in long distance is Couple Joy. This app basically packs everything you need to make your relationship feel closer:
- A distance widget to see how far away you are from your partner;
- A shared relationship journal to document your journey together;
- Cute messages on their lockscreen & 24-hour stories to remind them of how much you love them;
- A relationship counter to track the days you’ve been together;
- Countdowns to anniversaries, special moments or relationship holidays;
- 3,000+ Questions for couples such as: Never Have I Ever, This or That, Would You Rather, Who’s Most Likely To?, Strongly Agree/Disagree, and sexy questions.
There’s even a daily quiz challenge you answer together. Some questions are light (“Who’s most likely to eat a 8whole box of chocolate in one go?”), and others are deeper (“What are the 3 most important qualities you look for in a partner?”).
Couple Joy alone covers half the list of the best long distance relationship gifts—and you don’t even have to ship anything!
2. Iris Photography 👁️
Want something unique and artsy? Try iris photography, which is basically a high-quality and very detailed photo of your eye and your partner’s, side by side, on a black background. It looks like a cosmic galaxy, a mesmerizing pairing of the “windows to the soul”.
You can look up the nearest iris photography studio and create matching portraits to hang in your rooms.
3. Spotify Acrylic Photo Frame🎵
Here’s a gift that combines your favorite photo and your favorite song or playlist, all in one! Pick the best snapshot of you two, curate a playlist with your special songs, and send it in this acrylic photo frame. The frame lights up, and your partner can scan the QR code to instantly play the music.
4. Eye-Color Bead Bracelets 🧿
Photo: Freepik
One of the best DIY long distance gift ideas started as a trend on TikTok: making bracelets with beads in the colors of your eyes. It’s completely unique, personalized, and even cuter if you add your pet’s eye colors too!
This also doubles as a fun long distance date idea. Hop on a video call together and start crafting your bracelets.
5. Matching Bracelets or Necklaces 📿
If beads aren’t your thing, go for matching charms based on:
- Your star signs
- Your names
- A special date
- Your birthstones
- Your nicknames
- The distance between you
Add these charms to bracelets or necklaces and wear them as little tokens of your connection—always keeping a piece of each other close.
6. “Open When You..” Letters 💌
As humans, we go through all sorts of emotions, and not having your partner nearby for comfort can make tough moments even harder. But you can be closer to your partner during tough times using your own words with the “Open When You…” letters.
You prepare envelopes your partner opens during certain moments like:
- “Open when you miss me”
- “Open when you’re stressed”
- “Open when you can’t sleep”
- “Open when you’re thinking of us”
Write whatever you think your partner needs in that moment: words of encouragement, poems, inside jokes, inspirational quotes—anything that feels like “you.”
7. Positive Potato Plushie 🥔
Who doesn’t love potatoes? And who wouldn’t adore a potato plushie sitting on their desk, holding a motivational message from their partner to check whenever they’re feeling down?
This little guy is one of the best long distance relationship gifts, simply for being an adorable messenger of love.
8. Annotated Book 📚
This is one of the most affordable and personalized gifts from this list, as you only need a book and a colored pen. Here’s how to do it:
- Choose a book that neither of you have read before (aim for something short, around 150-200 pages)
- While reading, annotate it with your thoughts using your colored pen (make sure each of you has a different color so your comments are distinguishable).
- Get creative with your annotations: leave notes in the margins, highlight favorite passages, or ask questions for your partner.
- Mail the annotated book to your partner.
- After they read it, they have to annotate it too.
Tip: You can annotate an e-book if mailing isn’t practical, but nothing beats the personal touch of your own handwriting.
9. Personalized Gift Basket 🎁
Photo: Freepik
Here, we’re not talking about the prepackaged gift baskets from the supermarket, but rather about creating a basket filled with items your partner will actually love.
Inspiration for her:
- Flowers
- Sweets
- Makeup
- Handwritten letter
- Fancy skincare
- A romantic photo of you two
Check out these other gift suggestions for your girlfriend you can include.
Inspiration for him:
- His favorite drink (wine, whiskey, rum, etc.)
- A small Lego set
- Grooming kit
- Snack selection
- Handwritten letter
- A printed photo of you looking irresistible.
Need more suggestions? Read our guide on the best gifts for your boyfriend.
10. Birth Chart Portrait 🌌
Astrology gifts will never not be romantic, and women in particular love anything astrology-related. This makes a birth chart portrait the perfect surprise for your girlfriend that shows her you know the details that matter (to her at least).
Go to a birth chart generator such as Astro-Charts, enter your partner’s birth details, and print it. Put it in a beautiful frame and mail it to your partner.
Bonus: print your own chart and create a matching set for the both of you.
11. “How the Moon Looked When You Were Born” Art 🌙
We all know those classic movie moments when two lovers, separated by distance, gaze at the moon and feel connected. You can bring that magic to life with a beautifully designed moon-phase print showing exactly what the moon looked like on your partner’s birthday.
This is one of the best long distance relationship gifts because it’s a daily reminder that love can span any distance.
12. Advent Calendar for the Holidays 🎄
Advent calendars have gotten way more creative over the years, and many people now prefer making their own instead of buying them from the supermarket.
As a DIY gift, you’ll need 24 small items, one for each day from December 1 to 24. Some ideas include:
- Sweets
- Makeup
- Teas
- Books
- Handmade decorations
- Pack them into a beautiful advent calendar or simply wrap each item and number them and mail them to your partner.
Opening the advent calendar together on a video call can double as an indoor Christmas game for the both of you!
13. Commissioned Couple Illustrations 🎨
There are plenty of artists on Etsy, TikTok, and Instagram who create beautiful custom drawings of couples. Reach out to one of them and request an illustration of you two in the style of your choice:
- Cartoon style
- Watercolor
- Minimalist line art
- Anime
- “Movie poster”
A personalized artwork is always a great idea for a gift!
14. Scrapbook of Your Love Story 📒
Photo: Freepik
A visual collection of your love story in one place is a beautiful reminder of the moments you’ve shared and a dose of nostalgia whenever you miss your partner.
Include photos, movie/concert tickets, travel souvenirs, or any item that reminds you of important moments together and compile them in a scrapbook.
Tip: The Couple Joy app has a shared journal feature where you can collect your favorite moments in one digital space, a timeline of your love story you can both revisit anytime.
15. Travel Map 🌍
With a travel map, you can scratch off the places you’ve visited together or mark where each of you currently is to see the distance between you at a glance. Plus, watching the map fill up over time feels oddly satisfying.
Tip: You can actually do all of this digitally with the Couple Joy app. Mark locations and journal about your travels together —no pins or walls needed!
🌟 The Best Long Distance Relationship Gifts Are the Ones That Bring You Closer
Whether you go for iris photography, a moon-phase print, or adorable DIY ideas, the best long distance relationship gifts are the ones that make the distance shrink and the connection grow. And if you want everything—messages, question games, countdowns, shared journals, all your memories—in one magical place, try Couple Joy , the best couples app for long distance relationships!
