"You have two options when Valentine’s Day arrives and you are in a long-distance relationship: You can spend the day moping or you can make the most of it and celebrate from far away. Our recommendation? The latter. Sure, it’s a difficult day to be away from your partner no matter what, but it doesn’t have to be a day that you dread. In fact, if you put in the effort to make it extra special with your partner, it can be a day that you really look forward to. After all, it doesn’t really matter where you are but how you choose to prioritize your relationship, maintain your spark, and show your partner how much you care about them.
So whether your V-Day vibe is enjoying a glass of wine and chatting over FaceTime or spicing things up a bit in the bedroom, we are sharing six ways you can celebrate Valentine’s Day in a long-distance relationship.
Valentine’s Day Ideas for Long-Distance Relationships
1. Send a sweet treat
Nothing says “I’m thinking of you on Valentine’s Day” quite like a box of sweets—whether it be candy, cookies, brownies, chocolate-covered strawberries, or V-Day favorite, chocolate in a heart-shaped box. Since you can’t be there to deliver them in person, think a few days ahead and order something online that will arrive on time for your partner to enjoy on the day of. Companies like Milk Bar, Crumbl Cookies, Nowhere Bakery, Baked By Melissa, and Edible Arrangements offer delivery across the country and dozens of options to choose from. While this is more of a generic gesture for this holiday, it is one that is appreciated every single time.
2. Watch a movie together
One of the coolest things that came out of the pandemic is the ability to watch a movie or a show at the same time as someone in a different household. And no, I’m not talking about saying “press play on three” and still being a few seconds off from the other person. I’m talking about Teleparty, a browser extension that allows you to watch movies on Netflix, Youtube, HBO, Disney+, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video with a long-distance special someone at the exact same time. Plan a Teleparty with your sig-co, grab some snacks, and enjoy a cheesy rom-com together. My suggestion? Your Place or Mine, Netflix’s new Valentine’s Day movie with Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher.
3. Try different wines together virtually
Valentine’s Day = wine, and that is not up for discussion in my book—even if that means you enjoy non-alcoholic versions! Instead of going wine tasting or enjoying a wine tour, create the experience together virtually! Here’s how we recommend executing this: Choose a bottle of wine that you want to try and have your partner do the same. Then, head to the store and grab both. Plan a time for your virtual tasting, prepare some snacks for yourself (namely, a charcuterie board), and put on a nice outfit! Just because you’re far away doesn’t mean you can’t make this a special mini-date occasion.
4. Take a virtual class
Did someone say romantic cooking classes? What about paint night date night? Taking classes is the perfect way to bond with your partner, and you don’t have to be in the same room (or the same state) to sign up for them. Services like Sur La Table offer classes that will transport you through food and technique to the most romantic cities in the world like Paris or Tuscany. But if you’d rather order takeout, you can sign up for a mixologist class or a paint night. It can be hard to create memories when you’re far away from your partner, but these classes make sharing a new experience easy and enjoyable.
5. Plan your next in-person date
We know how difficult it is to be in a long-distance relationship, especially when you’re not too sure when you’re going to see each other next. But when you have something to look forward to, it makes the days go by a little bit easier. Spend Valentine’s Day planning out the next time you can be together. Maybe one of you will visit the other or you’ll meet each other at a brand new place. Plan what kind of activities you’ll do together, research restaurants and bars you want to check out, and more. The idea of being together soon and thinking about how much fun it will be will bring out all the cheesy and giddy feelings, which IMO, is the best way to spend V-Day with your long-distance lover.
6. Use partner sex toys
Want to enjoy an extra spicy date night even though you’re long-distance? That’s no problem. There are dozens of app-controlled sex toys that you can use with your partner. Apps like We-Vibe, Lovense, OhMiBod, and more offer sex toys that can be controlled by yourself, or in this case, by your partner, no matter where they are in the world. Of course, being together to use them would be even better, but since you’re far away, this is truly the next best thing. Plan a sexy night in, light some candles, and let your desire for each other take care of the rest.