Perfect Gifts for Your Long Distance Best Friend

Having a best friend who lives far away is bittersweet. You have someone who knows you better than anyone, who's been through everything with you—but you can't just spontaneously grab coffee or show up at their door with wine after a bad day. Distance doesn't diminish the friendship, but it does change how you show you care.

This guide features 30+ gift ideas perfect for your long-distance best friend. From sentimental keepsakes that celebrate your history to practical items they'll actually use, from subscription boxes to experience gifts you can share together—we've covered every type of friendship and every budget.

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Friendship Keepsakes & Sentimental Gifts

These gifts celebrate your unique friendship and all the memories you've created together.

Tech Gifts to Stay Connected

Make communication easier and more fun with tech gifts designed for long-distance friendships.

Subscription Gifts That Keep Giving

Monthly subscriptions remind them of your friendship every time a new box arrives.

Self-Care & Comfort Gifts

Help your bestie feel cozy, pampered, and cared for from afar.

Experience Gifts You Can Share

• 25. Virtual Cooking Class ($30-80): Book a class you take together on video chat—cook the same meal and "eat together."
• 26. Online Game Subscription ($10-15/month): Play games together online—Among Us, Mario Kart, or co-op adventures.
• 27. Virtual Escape Room ($20-40): Solve puzzles together in a virtual escape room designed for remote players.
• 28. Concert or Event Tickets ($50-200): Buy tickets for a show in their city and FaceTime during it, or plan to attend together.
• 29. Craft Class Kit ($40-100): Order supplies for a craft project you can do together on video—painting, pottery, knitting.
• 30. Surprise Visit (Priceless): If you can swing it, book a flight and show up at their door unannounced.

Fun & Quirky Gifts

• 31. Inside Joke Merch ($15-40): Custom t-shirts, mugs, or stickers featuring your inside jokes or funny memories.
• 32. Matching Socks ($10-25): Funny, cute, or themed matching socks you can both wear on video calls.
• 33. Custom Meme Print ($15-35): Print out your favorite memes or screenshots of hilarious text conversations.
• 34. Puzzle of You Two ($25-50): Custom puzzle made from a photo of you both—fun activity and keepsake.
• 35. Friendship Coupon Book ($0—DIY): Create coupons for "virtual movie night," "mandatory vent session," "no-judgment advice."

Practical Gifts They'll Actually Use

DIY & Budget-Friendly Ideas

Letters for Different Occasions

Write a collection of letters they can open at specific times: "Open when you're sad," "Open when you got good news," "Open when you're missing me," "Open on your birthday."

Memory Jar

Fill a jar with 52 favorite memories or inside jokes—one for each week of the year.

Playlist Exchange

Create Spotify playlists for each other—songs that remind you of them, your friendship, or new music they should hear.

Recipe Cards

Write out recipes for dishes you used to cook together or your favorite comfort foods on beautiful recipe cards.

Video Montage

Compile videos of mutual friends sharing favorite memories or saying why your friendship is special.

Friendship Timeline

Create a visual timeline of your friendship with key dates, photos, and milestone moments.

How to Choose the Perfect Gift

Consider Their Current Situation

Are they stressed at work? Send self-care items. Starting a new hobby? Support it with supplies. Going through a breakup? Comfort gifts win.

Think About Shared Interests

Gifts related to things you both love—books, coffee, true crime, specific TV shows—feel more meaningful.

Don't Overthink the Budget

True friends don't care about price tags. A $15 inside joke gift can mean more than a $100 generic present.

Add Personal Touches

Include handwritten notes, photos, or small extras that show you put thought into it.

Tips for Sending Gifts to Long-Distance Friends

1. Surprise Them

Random "just because" gifts hit different than expected birthday presents. Surprise deliveries feel extra special.

2. Include Inside Jokes

Reference shared memories, running jokes, or things only you two understand—that's what makes it personal.

3. Coordinate Unboxing Calls

FaceTime when the package arrives so you can see their reaction in real-time.

4. Send Care Packages

Combine multiple small items—their favorite candy, a funny card, a playlist, a silly photo—into one care package.

5. Make It a Tradition

Establish traditions like birthday month gifts, holiday care packages, or "just survived another year apart" celebrations.

What Your Best Friend Really Wants

Here's the truth: your long-distance best friend doesn't need expensive gifts to feel loved. What they really want is consistent presence in their life.

They want you to text them random thoughts throughout the day. They want you to remember the name of their annoying coworker and ask how that situation turned out. They want FaceTime calls where you both do mundane tasks together—cooking dinner, folding laundry, getting ready to go out.

The best gift you can give your long-distance best friend is making them feel like distance hasn't changed the fundamental nature of your friendship. You're still the person they call first with good news and bad. You're still the one who gets their weird sense of humor. You're still their person, just from farther away.

That said, thoughtful gifts absolutely strengthen long-distance friendships. They're tangible proof that someone hundreds or thousands of miles away is thinking about you. Combine regular communication with occasional meaningful presents, and you've got a friendship that distance can't touch.

Final Thoughts

Long-distance friendships require more effort than proximity-based ones. You can't rely on running into each other or making spontaneous plans. You have to be intentional about staying connected, making time for calls, and showing you still care.

Gifts are one way to bridge that physical gap. They're reminders that someone who knows you better than almost anyone is thinking of you, rooting for you, and counting down until the next time you're in the same place.

The perfect gift for your long-distance best friend isn't about being expensive or elaborate. It's about showing them you remember what makes them laugh, what they love, what they need. It's proof that distance might change logistics, but it hasn't changed how much you value their friendship.

Choose something that celebrates your unique bond, send it with love, and follow up with a call. Because at the end of the day, the best gift you can give your best friend is your continued presence in their life—no matter how many miles separate you.

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out our guides on just because gifts, birthday care packages, and subscription box ideas.