Edwin and I are so grateful to be making so many incredible friends in Charleston but our long-term best friends are long distance as they don’t live in Charleston. I’ve written a handful of times this year about the topic of friends and the nature of friendships as an adult because I find the topic so fun to write about and because I love and value my friends so much! I’m back with another post on friendship today as I share some of my favorite long distance friendship gifts.
In this post, how to keep a long distance friendship, I spilled on ways to keep friendships alive and well when friends live in different locations. One of my recommendations was to send birthday cards, random snail mail, and gifts. In an effort to expand upon that, here are some lovely and thoughtful long distance friendships gift ideas! P.S. they are all pretty reasonably priced!
Long Distance Friendship Gifts
Monogram Straw Hat
Monogrammed gifts are always a fun idea for girlfriends! These boater hats from Sprinkled with Pink are a perfect gift to pop into the mail for a long distance friend because they are super budget friendly. You don’t have to break the bank to let your bestie know you’re thinking of her. Send one of these hats leading up to a trip you know your friend is taking, when a friend is getting married (& changing her monogram), or for a holiday like Valentine’s Day.
Bling Wipes
Every time a girlfriend of mine gets engaged, I send her a congratulatory card and a box of Bling Wipes! Bling Wipes are a sweet, affordable way to celebrate a long distance friend’s happy news. They are also a lovely gift to pop in the mail when a friend is celebrating a big anniversary like her 1st, 5th, or 10th wedding anniversary.
Greeting Cards
Good old fashioned snail mail always brings a smile to my face! I smile when I’m writing greeting cards and smile when I receive greeting cards. A text or a phone call to say you miss a friend is always appreciated but a card shows a little extra love. I also love these floral greeting cards and every charming card by Sara Fitz.
A Lovely Book Recommendation
I love passing along books I’ve enjoyed to friends! If you devoured a book and have a long distance friend who loves reading or who you think would relate to the book you read, then why not pop it in the mail so they can enjoy the read as well? You’ll then have fun discussing the book after you’ve both read it! One Day in December is a fantastic read!
Flowers
There’s a million reasons to send a girlfriend flowers! First up, send flowers just to say “thinking of you!” If you’re looking for a more concrete reason, how about to mark a new job, new house/apartment, an engagement, a baby announcement, a birthday, a job accomplishment, or a friend anniversary. I love the company UrbanStems for easy online ordering and beautiful arrangements.
Modern Pearl Earrings
Right now, I’d say that Fleuri earrings make for my favorite birthday gift to send to a long distance friend! My bestie sent me a pair on my most recent birthday and I wear them multiple days a week. I simply adore everything about them… they are feminine with a bit of an edge. The pearls are timeless yet the earrings are done in modern shapes. This pair is also beautiful and under $80.
Cookbook
The older I get, the more I love cooking and expanding my cooking skills. A cookbook is a fantastic gift to send to a long distance friend because it’s a nice gift but cookbooks tend to be more affordable than coffee table books. Gwyneth Paltrow’s first book, My Father’s Daughter, continues to be one of my favorite cookbooks. I also love the Half Baked Harvest cookbook! Send a friend a cookbook and then try recipes together from a distance!
Colored Glass Cake Stands
Estelle colored glassware is absolutely stunning! Estelle makes gorgeous colored wine glasses (which I love) but I really swoon for their colored cake stands. One of these unique pieces is the perfect gift for a long distance friend who loves baking, sweet treats, or spending time enjoying the kitchen.
Embroidered Cocktail Napkins
Have you visited a long distance friend recently for a stay? After I stay with friends, I like to send along a little ‘thank you for hosting’ gift in the mail. I think these scalloped dot cocktail napkins are the perfect hostess gift. They can be embroidered with a ton of different monogram options!
Hand Painted Carafe and Tumbler
These hand painted carafes and tumblers are absolutely beautiful. There are handfuls of differently painted motifs and they make for such a special hostess gift for a long distance friend. The carafes and tumblers look lovely with water on a bedside table. They are hand painted in Great Britain but the company ships worldwide. P.S. the company is on a mission to have their glassware reduce plastic waste.
Playing Cards
Do you love playing games when you get together with your long distance friends? If so, then send them along a deck of adorable playing cards as a token of your friendship to remind them of the fun you love to have together! P.S. these timeless puzzles are also so cute!
Curated Gift Box
Long distance relationships can be difficult because it is hard to keep up on all the ins and outs of friends lives. However, if you are aware that a girlfriend is going through a difficult time, then a little pick me up care package in the mail is always an incredibly nice gesture. This ‘Relax & Renew’ gift box is just the ticket! I also love this curated gift box full of rejuvenating items.
Wicker Picture Frame
A great way to tell a long distance bff you care is to send them a pretty picture frame with a framed picture of y’all in it! It’s so infrequent that any of us print pictures nowadays so that makes this gift extra special. I also love this bamboo picture frame.
If you need more recommendations for long distance friend gift ideas, then you’re in luck because I have a few more up my sleeve! Fill in the blank _______ what does your long distance best friend love…?
Another fantastic gift idea for friends who hosted you or who love to entertain are these seagrass wrapped glasses.
For long distance friends struggling or friends who are down on their luck, I love the idea of gifting a subscription to Headspace. Since you can’t be there to give your friend a big hug, then send something to make them feel cozy and comfortable. These slippers, this robe, these pajamas. Or this silk eye mask are incredibly generous and thoughtful. P.S. These gifts are all also wonderful for a new mom who is nesting or for the friend who is spending a little time at home binge watching one of y’alls favorite shows.
My ideas for beauty-centered gifts for long distance friends include these cosmetic cases (they can be made special by monogramming them), these makeup towels, this face mask, and this bath soak.
Three last monogrammable gift ideas include this timeless tote, this phone case, and this cables and charges pouch.
Lastly, I love the idea of gifting a workout class to a long distance friend. Honestly, there’s nothing I love more and it’s perfect for any happy or sad occasion!
From picture frames to homesick candles to great books, I hope this post gave you some inspired ideas for gifts for long distance bffs across all 50 states! I independently selected each gift with my long distance girlfriends in mind. So hopefully, during these unsettling times, a gift for a great friend will catch your eye. xx
LOVE all these ideas! Petra Palumbo’s glassware is just perfection – I have one of her carafes + tumblers and just love it so much. Those Fleuri earrings are beautiful – I am going to need to order a pair. Also – you and Allison are just the cutest long-distance friends there ever were! <3
Awwww thanks so much Nan!! You’re the sweetest!! I agree… Petra Palumbo’s glassware is the stuff of dreams! You would absolutely love Fleuri earrings – so you! They are beautiful! Thanks for reading! xx