While there are many upsides to having technology at our fingertips, one particularly great thing about it is the ability to send a gift to a loved one anywhere in the world. Even if physical distance separates you from someone on a holiday or special occasion, or just when you want to spur a smile, the ability to make their day still exists.

Especially since online shopping is so convenient, it’s becoming more and more popular in today’s world. Big Commerce reports that 51 percent of Americans prefer to online shop while 96 percent of Americans have made an online purchase in their life, 80 percent of those respondents having shopped virtually in the past month. Forget about packaging gift items and lugging them to the post office on your own – technology is here to simplify your life as well as the gift-giving process.

To combine convenience with the ability to send a gift across the miles, I have compiled a list of long distance gift ideas to take advantage of.

– A Personal Touch –

Thanks to technology, it’s easy to gift a loved one something with a personal touch that they will treasure forever, like a video keepsake. A few fun ideas for this are “The Top 10 Things I Love About Us” or, “Favorite 10 Memories Together”. Simply use your webcam to create the video and they will no doubt love watching it over and over again. You can even weave in photos of the two of you or video clips of fun times together to make it more sentimental

Another idea is to go paperless by creating a coupon book that you can make on simple computer programs, giving your loved one a unique and fun gift that they will be using for a long while to come! You can email it to them and give them vouchers for items like, “an hour long video chat”, “a handwritten love letter”, or “a home cooked meal when we are together”. We know that your loved one will be tickled at the thought put into this gift as well as the prospect of cashing in all these meaningful gifts.

– Photographs –

If you think custom photos gifts are too expensive and difficult to coordinate, you couldn’t be more wrong! Luckily, there are a wide range of websites out there where you can upload a picture, choose your matting and frame, and send it off as a framed gift. This is also possible to have done on canvases, which also make a great gift. Other fun photo gift ideas are custom designed memory books, phone cases, or other household items that are made better with a memory attached to them. All of these ideas are bound to be a special memento for the recipient, and they’ll think of you every time they walk past it hung on their wall!

– Flowers & Plants –

While flowers are a pretty standard gift, with so many great sites out there nowadays, we couldn’t resist mentioning this. Flower services that deliver nationwide have wide selections, making it easy to match any personality! From roses to tropical flowers to even succulent plants, these gifts are a sure-fire way to make someone smile from afar.

– Treats – 

For anyone who loves to indulge in something delicious, the possibilities are seemingly endless for what you can send their way to celebrate a special occasion. For those who love something savory, send them a tin of popcorn to snack on. Or, for anyone who has a sweet tooth, try a candy subscription so that they get their fix on a monthly basis!

– E-Gifts –

Great gifts can be delivered directly to the recipient’s email inbox! Some ideas that are sure to be a hit are a music subscription service credit, a television or streaming service gift card, an ebook gift card for a bookworm, or even airline gift cards for someone that you’re hoping will come visit you soon! The possibilities for this idea are endless, allowing you to truly match the gift to the interests and passions of your loved ones.

Thoughtful and convenient all in one? It’s possible! Modern technology makes all of our lives easier on a daily basis, and this is just one more way to take advantage of it. Give all of your loved ones – no matter how far they may live – exactly what they want by sending something directly to them that they will love.