With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, many people in long distance relationships will be feeling a sense of longing for their far-flung lovers. As someone currently in a long distance relationship, I am here to provide solutions for couples who may be feeling a little lost during the romantic holiday.
Virtual dates
The next best thing to being physically present with your partner is to host a virtual date with them. Using apps like Facetime, Google Duo, and Skype is a great way to stay connected with your partner – irrespective of the distance between you. A cheesy suggestion is to prepare and have a romantic meal with your partner over video call. However, if you are not feeling this suggestion then perhaps just a catch-up and virtual bonding can be sufficient.
Watch a movie
My personal favourite.
Despite the distance, watching a film together over Facetime can be simplistically sweet. I personally go for the whole “one, two, three… play” method with my partner, with us both watching the movie on our own TVs/laptops. However, there are apps such as Teleparty which are great for watching Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO online with your partner. This particularly useful for the chat function which allows you to react in real time with your beau.
Send your partner a message and make them feel special
The small things in life are often the most important.
Dropping your partner a message on Valentine’s Day and letting them know that you are thinking about them is a great way to be simultaneously simplistic and thoughtful; if you cannot be physically connected, then a heartfelt message can compensate for that. My advice is to express all the ways in which your partner makes you grateful for your relationship. It takes a couple of minutes to brighten someone’s day.
Plan your next IRL meet up
Communicating when you will next meet IRL is also a good idea and will give you and your partner something to look forward to. Get on a call and start planning your next trip and meet up. I recommend using apps such as Skyscanner and Trainline for cheap transport and deals, and drawing up a list of things you want to do together.
Send them a thoughtful gift
Sending your partner a gift on Valentine’s Day is a great way to make them feel special. One trend I saw on TikTok was the Bond Touch love bracelets. These bracelets enable you to stay intimate with your loved ones despite the distance, mimicking the natural vibration of your partners touch every time they miss you. You can also set up the Bond Touch app which has a chat space for any risqué messages you may want to exchange 😉. If this is not your thing then I am certain that traditional chocolates, teddy bears, and flowers will suffice (although these may be more difficult to ship internationally).
Make your partner a spotify playlist
Making your partner a personalised Spotify playlist is the modern-day equivalent of making them a mixtape. Dedicating a thoughtful collection of songs to them is a sure way to warm their heart, especially if you are separated by distance. A slight variation of this suggestion is to use Spotify’s Group Session feature which enables you to share your favourite songs with your partner in a private playlist – you can also send prompts to your partner which is a nice way to see what songs they associate with you.