Getting through the days of the week can be difficult when you are missing someone, the secret is to keep yourself busy but also find small ways to include your partner in your day to day life.

Check out these 10 gifts for long distance relationships, which are either free or cost very little and will help to keep you feeling closer.

Here are 5 dating tips for couples in long distance relationships which will help to keep your love alive despite the distance and time apart:

Day to Day Life

If you are in the early days of a long distance relationship (ie after you have met once to ensure you know who you are communicating with) then get to know about each others lives visually.

Each get a usb memory stick and fill it with photographs, these can be of your surrounding area, work, your breakfast, hobbies, new shoes, pets or friends.

Remember your new partner will be fascinated by things you find mundane, so just photograph everything and let them get to know about your day to day life.

Photo Friday

This is the age of technology so let’s use it to have some fun. Every Friday send a text to each other stating what sort of photo you want to see. This can be of your partner with the smallest dog they can find, in the shower with a garden gnome or outside a police station wearing handcuffs.

Your partner then has until Sunday lunchtime to send you the photo. Make up some fun forfeits if your partner fails to get the requested photo. Remember to keep photo albums of your exploits for later years.

Plan a Holiday

Even if you are unable to have a holiday together this year or next due to financial or time limitations, still plan a holiday together for when you are able to go away together. Don’t just decide we’ll go to Greece when we can and forget about it.

When you are apart both spend time exploring different destinations, find out about the history of the area, what there is to see or do, the local food, customs, etc … imagine you’re a travel writer and do a write up. Send each other the destinations you find out about and decide together where you would like to go and explore.

This is not only a way to give you both something to look forward to but is also a great way of learning about your long distance partners likes and dislikes.

Learn a Language

Whether it’s German, Spanish or Mandarin start to learn a new language together and send love notes in the new language.

Don’t just reach for google translate, grab a language book and start with the obvious …. I love you … ich liebe dich … te amo … wo ai ne.

Over time you will progress in the language and therefore in your ability to tell your loved one how you feel. You’ll also have a lot of fun when you get it wrong and say “you’re eyes are like jellied eels”.

Have Fun Together

This may sound obvious but many long term long distance relationships suffer because couples wait until they are together to argue, complain or decorate the spare bedroom.

Your time together is not just to sort out domestic arrangements, it should be an enjoyable time or why should your partner make the effort to travel all that way if it’s just to fight or be nagged all weekend?

Get all of the drudgery out of the way on the telephone or preferably internet (with a webcam so you can read body language) and clear the air before your partner visits you, then relax and have fun when you get time together.

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.