Whether your significant other moved across the country to pursue a promising job opportunity, your best friend started a graduate school program in a different state, or you left home to travel the world, you know just how difficult long distance relationships can be.
Related: The Best Locally Made Gift in Each of the 50 States
To ease the challenges of the LDR, the editors at Travel + Leisure put together a gift guide that covers every type of long distance relationship: couples, mother/daughter, best friends, siblings, grandparents/grandson/granddaughter.
From high-tech webcams to fill-in-the-blank journals and sentimental jewelry, these gifts will either connect you and your loved ones via technology, keep you on their minds, or remind them just how much you love them even when you're not there to say it.
Related: The Best Gifts for Couples Who Love to Travel
Scroll down to see our picks for the best gifts to bring you and your long distance loved ones together — if not in person, at least in spirit.
Long Distance Touch Lamp
There’s no more touching way to say “you’re on my mind” than with a pair of these lamps. Whenever you're missing your other half, you can let them know you’re thinking of them by turning on your own lamp to light up theirs and vice-versa.
To buy: uncommongoods.com, $85-170
'Our Q&A a Day: 3-year Journal for 2 People'
Create a time capsule of your long distance relationship to see how it evolves and grows in three years. Our Q&A a Day asks you and your significant other 365 questions: answer one each day and revisit them over the next two years. Whether you’re sharing your top priority for the day or dreaming about a place you hope to travel to with your partner, the two of you will love comparing and contrasting your answers with each other from day-to-day and year-to-year.
To buy: target.com, $13
Custom Stamp Gift Box
Receive letters in envelopes that are just as personal as the letters themselves. Along with a self-inking stamper and black ink cartridge, this gift box comes with a gift certificate that invites your favorite pen pal to customize a stamp and make their mark on all their correspondence with you.
To buy: papersource.com, $40
Homesick Candles
These soy wax candles are designed to evoke the scents and memories of over 25 states, from the soft rains of Washington to the desert sands of Arizona and apple orchards of New York. Whether they're studying abroad for the semester or living cross-country, your loved one will enjoy lighting the candle for a sensory trip back home.
To buy: uncommongoods.com, $30
The Bouqs Company Subscription
A subscription lets you set up a regular, automatic delivery of flowers to your sweetie. Choose the collection (e.g. roses, farmer’s market), size (original, deluxe, grand), and occurrence (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, special occasions), and voila: your best gal has a sweet, recurring reminder of how much you love her.
To buy: bouqs.com, prices vary
Star Trek TNG Blutetooth® ComBadge
Present this ST:TNG badge to your out-of-town Trekkie. He can answer and end your phone conversations just by touching the badge, and the built-in microphone provides ease for hands-free calling. Most importantly, he will get a kick out of the communicator chirp that will sound off whenever he picks up your call.
To buy: thinkgeek.com, $70
Coordinate Bar Necklace
With your address coordinates engraved on this gorgeous necklace, your out-of-state best friend, mom, or long distance girlfriend will get to wear a reminder of you close to her heart. The necklace comes in gold, silver, and rose, and you can select the chain length to match any lady’s style.
To buy: etsy.com, from $35
TABLETOPICS Couples
On days you want to Google Hangout but don't have anything in particular to talk about, these conversation starters can get you two laughing and inspire meaningful conversation. Find out what she admires the most about you, or learn how he calms down after a fight. Reminisce over shared experiences, discover new things about the other, and feel closer without actually being together.
To buy: amazon.com, $25
Dual Time Zone Watch
No matter which time zone your loved one lives in, now she can see if it’s too late (or too early) to call you without having to resort to the minor inconvenience of mental math.
To buy: ahalife.com, $119
‘What I Love About You by Me' Book
“I never get tired of your ______.” With over 100 prompts and fill-in-the-blank responses to complete, this thoughtful keepsake will offer your long distance significant other a sweet and fun way to reflect on your relationship when you’re apart.
To buy: uncommongoods.com, $10
'Letters to Open When...'
Send your faraway loved ones a collection of letters to read when they most need your words of encouragement, inspiration, and love. This heartfelt package includes 12 blank letters for you to write ahead of 12 occasions — and for your friends, family, and long distance significant other to open when they're feeling lonely and lost, need a good laugh, or just want to reminisce with you.
To buy: chroniclebooks.com, $15
Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam
Stream high-quality videos for your hours-long Skype sessions. The two omnidirectional microphones reduce background noise and the autofocus adjusts to dimly lit bedrooms, so you can be heard and seen just as clearly on camera as you would in person.
To buy: amazon.com, $75
State Shape Love Location
Pay tribute to the place that brought you together with this custom art print. Pick out your favorite couple photos, choose a state, and Minted will create this precious collage for you to cherish.
To buy: minted.com, $71 (16” x 16”)
Long Distance Keychain
Present those who just moved to a new city with this cool keychain to let them know they are always welcome back home. Each keychain comes with a vintage map piece of the special place that will always have their heart.
To buy: etsy.com, from $50
Lovebox Spinning Heart Messenger
This sweet messenger box takes text messaging to a whole new level. Send your loved one a message through the app, and the heart on the side of the box will notify her by spinning. She’ll see your note on a mirrored screen when she opens the box, and can return the sentiment by sending digital hearts to your app.
To buy: uncommongoods.com, $99
Long Distance Heartbeat Speaker
You may not be able to fall asleep together, but you can at least fall asleep to the sounds of each other’s heartbeats. After you connect your speakers to the app, place them underneath your pillows. Then when you wear the rechargeable wristbands to bed, the bands will detect your pulses and transmit the sounds through to the other’s speaker.
To buy: uncommongoods.com, $189
Snacks Every Month
Even when your boyfriend or daughter lives across the country, you can still make sure they’re taken care of. Order this snack-filled subscription plan, and your loved ones will get four to five snacks — such as granola bars, popcorn, and trail mix — once a month for 3, 6, or 12 months.
To buy: mouth.com, $60 per month for a 3-month subscription; $57 per month for a 6-month subscription; $54 per month for a 12-month subscription
Digital Countdown Days Timer
Build anticipation and excitement around the next reunion with your long distance friend or significant other. After they set the clock to the very second you’ll meet again, they can have fun counting down the days to the joyous occasion.
To buy: amazon.com, $15
Tablet Stand
If your long distance friend or significant prefers tablets to laptops, she can prop hers up in this floral stand during your Skype or Google Hangout calls.
To buy: ahalife.com, $68
Long Distance Mug
Gift these adorable mugs to all your friends who don’t live in the same state as you. Customize each to display outlines of the two states you live in, with hearts pinpointing both of your cities. The back of the mug also comes with a sentimental quote that you can personalize to say "Friends," "Best Friends," "BFFs," etc.
To buy: etsy.com, from $15
Venessa Arizaga Friendship Bracelets
Bring it back to elementary school days with these cute bracelets that will bond you and your best friend over time and distance.
To buy: shopbop.com, from $30
