Long distance relationships can work and give you so many opportunities to show your romantic side.
Dating online often leads to long distance relationships and it may be some time before you are both able to bring your lives together.
It is quite easy to get into a routine, even when dating long distance. You visit every third weekend or a week every three months, you phone at 10pm every night or write every Saturday. You plan your time together in advance, down to what you will eat.
However with just a little thought you can keep the romance and excitement in your relationship.
Here are 10 ideas for gifts that will help the love flourish, no matter how far apart you are:
1. Swap Clothes
No you don’t need to start cross dressing. There is something very personal about sleeping in your man’s t-shirt. Guys if you are thinner than your lady then buy a big baggy t-shirt and sleep in it for a while before you give it to her, it needs to have that “lived in feel”. Girls give your man your winter scarf, as long as it’s not pink and flowery or if you are similar sizes then give him one of your t-shirts.
2. Use the Post
We have become so reliant on the internet, the speed of emails and texts makes communication so quick and convenient but it is far from romantic. You need to add a little surprise sometimes, post a romantic card, poem or a small gift.
3. Find a Colour
Send small gifts or pictures that all have the same colour theme. Is she passionate about pink or is he addicted to chocolate. While you are out and about find things to add to the collection, they don’t need to be expensive, something from nature or a picture from a magazine but using a theme makes it personal to you both.
4. Send photos
Make it interesting, start at your feet or finger tips and take a photo of a small part of your body, each week send a new photo until your partner has a full jigsaw puzzle of you. This can be as naughty or as nice as you like.
5. Swap Calendars
Fill in all the dates that are important to you, your family birthdays and anniversaries, important events at work or even silly things like the date your car needs an MOT. These all make them feel part of your life, they know what is going on with you even when you are not in touch each day. You can add things to the calendar when you find out what your partner has been or is planning to do.
6. Paper Chain
Make a paper chain by linking strips of paper in circles, add one link for every day you will be apart. This works best if you will be apart for over a month. Each day rip off one of the links and it is amazing how visually seeing the chain getting shorter helps the days fly by.
7. Plan a Weekend Surprise
Take it in turns to plan a romantic weekend but don’t give any hints to your partner, simply send instruction for what clothes they should bring. If you want them to go sailing then tell them to bring waterproofs.
8. Read a Book
Buy two copies of the same book and read it at the same time, you can discuss the book online and this helps you to share interests. If and when you finally come together you can make a small library for your shared home with one set of copies and give the second copies to a charity shop.
9. Swap Diaries
Buy two diaries and each day before you sleep write down a few thoughts. When you see your partner swap diaries before you part again but don’t read them together. You each continue adding your thoughts to the diaries but also have something to read from your love each night. They make a wonderful memory in future years.
10. Leave Surprises
Place small gifts or notes in their home, car, bag, wallet, etc. Don’t make them obvious, so they find them over time. Once they get used to this ask them not to go looking for them but wait until they come across them naturally. After a while start numbering them (eg 3 of 7) and they will have the anticipation of knowing there are more to find. If your partner leaves you notes or gifts please try to resist the temptation to find them all at once, you really will get more pleasure from finding them naturally.
December 13th, 2008 at 12:19 am
i think that it sounds like it would work.
to bad i didnt see this sooner
December 13th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
these are really lovely I would recommend them for short distance non-cohabitation relationships as well
December 14th, 2008 at 5:56 am
This is beautiful…
December 14th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Thanks guys, I hope these tips will help some long distance relationships survive but you are right Bryan, there is no reason why we shouldn’t be just as romantic in short distance relationships.
December 14th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Some of these are great ideas. I’d like to try them out with my boyfriend
December 15th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
I wonder if a few of these could have added to those two years… so it goes.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
I think these are lovely!
i had a long distance with my boyfriend while he was away for univeristy. it was the toughest 8 months of my life! but little things like this actually do help!
we made it through the 8 months and have been together for almost 2 years!!!
December 16th, 2008 at 12:51 am
Quaint.
December 16th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
This is lovely! I’ve been involved in a sort of long-distance courtship for about six months, and numbers two (using the post), four (pictures) and eight (same books at the same time) have been delightful.
Thanks for the additional recommendations!
December 16th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Thanks very much for the comments everyone and am so pleased to hear that they are working for people.
If you have a partner that goes away for some time as a one off it is a great idea to make a paper chain with a link for every day they will be away … sounds silly I know but try it …. each day you remove one link and it is such a comfort when you start to see the chain getting smaller. It kept me sane while my ex husband was away at war.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Me and my boyfriend are going through a rough patch today, what a coincidence my stumble button brought me here. I’ve been wanting to do #1 for a long time now. I’m going to send him this hopefully it will make his day a little better.
December 19th, 2008 at 8:20 am
fancy papered is necessary! send song’s your listening to on CD’s and have a shared project you work on a bit each time you get together, the accomplishments together are really bonding. “Look what we did” is a great way to stay connected.
Put confetti in your cards, or sparkles. Surprises like that are awesome. Also – these
I’m a pro at the LD romance
December 21st, 2008 at 4:01 am
Would love to hear more about how you cope with LD romance Dawn.
Sorry to hear about your rough patch Tsuki, I do hope it is resolved soon. Please let us know how it goes and if he reponds well to any of these suggestions.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:55 am
I love these suggestions! Especially in these times when meaningful, low cost gifts are such a blessing!
Merry Christmas to you!
Catherine
December 26th, 2008 at 6:40 am
Hi Catherine, thanks for your comment. Have just stopped by your blog and book marked it, great writing.
Sally
May 8th, 2009 at 4:35 am
These made me smile, and all I could do whilst reading them was imagine his smile when these things were done for him…and his wishing he had done it first
June 28th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Thanks! These tips are working great for me! I am using these once in a while and started innovating too
Mike Toby´s last blog ..Science and it’s quirks
July 5th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Hi Mike
We love innovation but we like it better if you share your ideas lol
August 20th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Great tips, long distance relationships aren’t easy but these tips will definitely make them easier!
Paul@RX Affiliate´s last blog ..myRXCash summer heat promotion