Long Distance Birthday Ideas
Thanks to technology, we don’t have to wait a week for a letter, and we can phone or video-call loved ones whenever we want; however, whether it’s your partner, sibling, parent, child, or your BFF, being separated by distance is always hard. Coming up with special little ways to show how much you care is just as difficult as it always has been! Finding that unique gift that you can send across a country, a continent, or an ocean can be a major challenge.
Thankfully, there are a lot of ideas out there for fun ways to let your friends, family, or significant others know that you care - no matter what the distance between you. Of course, all of these ideas would nicely complement the gift of a group video ;)
Gifts for Long-Distance Girlfriend, Boyfriend, or Spouse
How do you keep the romance alive in a long-distance relationship when there’s significant physical distance between you? It’s an age-old problem. There’s never enough time, or easy enough access to affordable transportation to be reunited as often as you’d like. Whether you’re a young person going to a different college than your high school sweetheart or a military spouse who has to frequently hold the fort at home while their loved one is deployed, long distance can leave you feeling lonely and isolated. Here are some suggestions for keeping the romance alive:
A Modern Love Letter
Send your someone special a personalized and heartfelt message inside a beautiful digital greeting card. Tell your loved one exactly how you feel about them by customizing a thoughtful Happy Birthday eCard, I Love You eCard, or Miss You eCard.
Not great with the written word? Don’t worry! You can record and upload a short video message to share your love and adoration. Upload a favorite photo of the two of you to your online greeting card and include a digital gift card so your partner can treat themselves to a little something special. Best of all, you can send an online greeting card instantly via text or email so there’s no need to worry about it arriving in time for your loved one’s birthday.
Music: The Language of Love
Music can stir emotions like nothing else out there. Let your partner know how much you love them with a gift of your favorite tunes. It’s easy to make a unique playlist on streaming platforms like Spotify or iTunes, or if you want a more tactile touch, you can “burn” your own CD, or fill a USB memory stick with your favorite tracks. Pick a theme for your playlist, such as songs by the artists you’ve seen together or songs you listened to when you first met. Whatever music is going to bring your loved one back to the great times and great memories you share is the perfect music for your gift!
Another thoughtful gift for a long-distance boyfriend or girlfriend is a Scannable Music Plaque that features a photo and much-loved song they can actually listen to! Simply upload a favorite pic and find the Spotify code to your favorite song for a beautiful, customized plaque that instantly plays your favorite song when your loved one scans the code.
Birthday Gift Ideas for Friends
Birthday Party In A Box
Can’t be there in-person to throw a birthday party? Send them one in a box! You can DIY this, but why deal with the hassles of packaging and shipping when you can have experts curate one for you?
There are a ton of mail-order gift box companies out there, but our absolute fav is The Confetti Post. Their birthday boxes have beautiful packaging, plenty of thoughtful content, and options for add-ons. Make your selections, place your order, and wait to hear the excitement from your friend when they receive their special gift!
Subscription Box
Most friends share a passion, or two or three, that no other two people seem to “get” quite as much. Or there is something that you do together that can’t be replaced with anyone else. Whatever it is, there’s probably a subscription box for it!
Whether it be an undying obsession with skincare, a joint interest in spiritual healing, or a shared affection for teatime, a monthly surprise is the next best thing. For those who love a great mystery, you can have intriguing packages mailed over a certain interval up until the great reveal.
Long-Distance Gifts for a Family Member
For the first eighteen years of our life, we’re used to celebrating our birthday with our immediate family. Or, if you’re the parent, there may have been many years where you not only had to make the family birthday dinner, but also plan a child or teen birthday party! There can be a lot of birthday traditions that you find yourself missing when there comes a year or more where you’re now living away from home, or you’re at home, but the nest is empty!
Luckily, there are still ways to express your familial love, even across distances...
Feed Them!
Remember being a kid and your mom asking what you wanted to eat on your birthday? That special attention felt so good… and it still does! If they’re far away from home, how will you get them that special treat?
You can send them a gift card for their favorite restaurant, or even order their “regular” meal delivery via phone or online ordering. Surprise them with their favorite munchies! If they’ve moved out of the country, they may enjoy the most mundane items that remind them of home and that they can’t buy locally: Cheez-Its or Nutter Butters for an American, for example, or ketchup chips or Shreddies cereal for a Canadian!
Let’s be honest though, a birthday isn’t official until cake is served. So why not send them some. Mix all the dry ingredients from their favorite recipe in a sealer jar and ship it to them with instructions to add the liquids and bake for that true taste of home. Even easier, send them ready-to-eat!
Throw Them a Virtual Birthday Party
Continue your family’s birthday party tradition in a non-traditional way: throw a virtual party so that loved ones near and far can partake in a fun and festive celebration! To get guests and the honoree excited about the event, pick a party theme. Some virtual party themes include a Favorite Decade party where guests dress up from the selected time period and choose a Zoom background to match, or a Beach party where guests can set their background to their favorite shoreline, dress for the occasion, and bring a beach-inspired cocktail to the party.
Once you pick a theme, be sure to send gorgeous online birthday invitations with a link to the video conference platform and other important event details. During the event, have everyone introduce themselves and share well wishes for the honoree. Next, consider playing a game like a virtual scavenger hunt which involves searching for everyday items that are in your home in a specified amount of time. Finally, send the honoree cupcakes and a candle ahead of the party and ask guests to buy or make themselves a treat so that everyone can sing “Happy Birthday” and enjoy something sweet together!
Long-Distance Birthday Gifts for Everyone
Send them a Group Video!
You had to know this one was coming! We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention our very own group videos. Whether it’s for your spouse, romantic partner, sibling, parent, child, or friend - it’s easy to cross any distance with a heartfelt personal message recorded just for them!
A Group Video from Memento is like having a surprise party even when you can’t physically be together. It’s a great way to gather loved ones together to show appreciation for finishing another rotation around the sun!
Nothing makes someone feel more special than joyful wishes and smiles from everyone they care about and they’ll love you for making it all happen. With enough time and computer skills, you could do this yourself, but it isn’t easy. If you’re not a video editing nerd with tons of time on your hands, use the Memento platform, sit back, and we’ll make you look like a creative genius!
