During 2020 and 2021, celebrating the holidays long-distance style has become commonplace. Families are showing their love by staying away- who would have thought this could be the case? The big question is- how do you stay connected when separated by hundreds if not thousands of miles? Here are a few long distance gifts that can help you stay connected to those you love, and let them know that even though you are far apart, they will always have a place in your heart!
Mail a Hug
Puffer Hug– $49.99
Years ago, my friend Meredith created a handmade wrap with her two sons to gift to family and friends. They loved sharing something that was as meaningful and warm as a physical big hug. This evolved into the creation of the Puffer Hug in collaboration with Gigi Seasons, a cozy wrap with deep outer pockets designed to feel like a warm embrace. The new Puffer Hug® is designed to be your go-to wrap for chilly days, with its durable and modern puffer outside, and a super soft fleece inside. The Puffer Hug® can also be styled as a scarf, or folded over and draped down your chest for added warmth under your winter outerwear.
In the spirit of giving, 15% of all retail sales of the Puffer Hug® go to causes that provide communities useful tools to live better lives. Their current projects are the funding of two schools in Northern Kenya. This is one of the long distance gifts that gives back, which is two gifts in one!
Play from Far Away
A couple times a month, my children and I FaceTime my parents in Michigan and play games together. We had never done this pre-pandemic, but came up with this out of necessity (where most great ideas are born!). We found a few games that are just as easy to play from far away as they are when you are face to face. Send one of these to your loved ones, and designate a play date!
Farkle– $9.99
2+ players, ages 8+
This is a favorite dice game that can be played via FaceTime! Just designate one person to tally the points, and roll away. Each household just needs 6 dice to play, and it is easy enough for my 8 year old to completely grasp the concept without frustration.
Blank Slate– $24.99
3-8 players, ages 8+
Pick one of over 250 Word Cue cards (with 500 total cues), write the word you think best completes the phrase – and try to match it exactly to another player’s word without giving a single hint. For example, find the word that best completes this phrase: Paper _________ Possible answers: paper plate, paper jam, paper mache. If you match the same phrase, you get three points. If you match with more than one person, you get one point. It is so interesting to see where people’s minds go!
KidQuest– $19.99
This game was developed by a 7 year old named Everest with a little help from his mom. The concept came from Everest asking hundreds of questions to his parents and grandparents in a “quest” to get to know who they were when they were kids. There are 100 diverse questions in 8 inspiring categories, and they truly help foster connections and aid in getting to know those closest to you even better!
Share a Memory
Nixplay– Start at $149
Digital photo frames have come a LONG way, and are completely long distance gifts that keep the connection going. My parents and I both have Nixplay frames, which allow us to send photos directly to each other, having them pop up as a surprise on their frame! I can share photos of my children’s artwork, short videos of them saying good night, or memories of times when we were all together. What I love about Nixplay is that they have created frames that you actually WANT to have in your house.
In addition to basic black, they also have woodgrain and metal frames. They ALSO offer prints of any photos, making it easy to convert those digital images on your phone to gallery wrapped canvas for your walls.
Personalized Snail Mail
MyPostcard App $2.69+
Is there anything better than receiving a postcard from a friend who is living their best life? YES- one with a photo of them on their adventure! With the MyPostcard App, you can use your own photos and add a personal message to create and send customized photo postcards. Design postcards directly on your phone with their app for Android and iOS. You can also record an audio greeting and send a physical audio card!
Send a Scent Memory
Homesick Candles $34
How do you capture the spirit of a memory in a way that feels personal and recognizable to everyone? Homesick candles has found a way. Smells have a stronger link to memory and emotion than any of the other senses. Homesick speaks to anywhere from 30 to 100 people for every candle they develop, visiting local areas, collecting samples, and even extracting scents from food. I sent a candle to my cousin who was moving from her childhood home in San Diego- the candle blended “notes of marine and sandalwood swirl through the sea air. Taco trucks and sun-kissed shoulders. A perfect day in the bay.”
Some example candles to evoke a shared memory:
Grandmas Kitchen- Warm apple pie with extra ice cream. Snickerdoodles fresh from the oven. Sugar and spice and everything nice.
Beach Cottage- Salty ocean air with hot sand under foot. Afternoon tides leave driftwood, seaweed and conch shells scattered along the shore.
Summer Camp- Diving into a lake. Hiking through a field of fresh grass and wildflowers. Sipping ice cold lemonade. Singing songs around the campfire.
Cheers to creating connections with family and friends via long distance gifts, even though you are separated over the holidays!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. All of my opinions are honest and my own as always. Gracias.
