Gifts for Long-Distance Family: Small Ways to Shrink the Miles

More families than ever live far from grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. A job moves you across the country, or across an ocean, and suddenly the people who used to drop by on Sundays are a plane ride away.

Adults understand why. Children just feel the gap. The good news: with a few thoughtful gifts and simple rituals, kids can stay remarkably close to family they don't see often. Here's how.

What long-distance relatives really want

Ask a grandparent who lives far away what they'd like, and the answer is almost always some version of: more of the grandkids. Their voices, their faces, their drawings, their news.

So the best long-distance gifts tend to:

• Bring the kids into their home: photos, drawings, recordings
• Create a shared ritual: something you both do, even apart
• Travel well: light, flat, mailable
• Last, so they're a daily reminder, not a one-time event

Gifts that bring the kids closer

Drawings, mailed

A drawing in an envelope is one of the simplest and most-loved long-distance gifts. Kids can draw what they did this week, a portrait of the relative, or "what we'll do when you visit." Make it a monthly habit.

A digital photo frame

A frame you can update from your phone means grandparents see new photos without lifting a finger. Choose one that's simple to use, set it up before giving it, and keep it stocked.

A recorded storybook

Grandparents record themselves reading a story, and the child listens at bedtime. Or reverse it: the child records a story for the grandparent.

A video library

Short videos of everyday moments: a lost tooth, a first bike ride, a school play. Sent regularly, they make relatives feel part of daily life.

Matching gifts across the miles

Matching items create a sense of connection: "We're wearing the same thing today."

• Matching hoodies or T-shirts with the same child's drawing, one for the relative and one for mom or dad
• Matching mugs for a weekly "coffee and hot chocolate" video call
• Two halves of a friendship bracelet or necklace
• The same book, read together over video

Our film The Long Table is about a girl who moved across the ocean and drew the kitchen table stretching all the way to grandma's house. The drawing ended up on matching pieces for both of them.

Rituals that work across distance

Gifts are lovely, but rituals do the heavy lifting.

A standing video call

Same day, same time, every week. Kids thrive on predictability. Our film Grandma in the Tablet is about a girl who sees grandma on video every Sunday, and drew her inside the tablet, reaching out for a hug.

Make the call about something

Video calls with young kids can fizzle. Give them a shape:

• Show and tell: each side shares one thing
• Draw together: everyone draws the same thing and holds it up
• Read together: grandparent reads, child turns the pages of the same book
• Cook together: the same simple recipe, on two kitchens' worth of screens

Mail exchange

Real letters are thrilling for kids. Set up a pen-pal arrangement with a grandparent or cousin: one letter or drawing back and forth each month.

Countdown to the visit

Give the child a paper chain or calendar to count down to the next visit. It turns waiting into anticipation.

Gifts for the relative who always makes the trip

Every family has someone who crosses the miles: the aunt who flies in for every holiday, the grandpa who drives eight hours for a school play. A gift that recognizes the effort means a lot. Our film The Aunt With Wings is about a boy who drew his aunt with airplane wings, dropping presents on the roof.

Practical tips for mailing gifts

• Flat is easy. Drawings, photos and letters ship cheaply in a stiff envelope.
• Check customs rules when mailing internationally, especially for food.
• Send early for holidays, as mail volumes peak.
• Order directly to their address when buying online, and include a note from the kids.

A drawing they can wear

A child's drawing that captures the distance, or the love that crosses it, makes a powerful long-distance gift. At ANORA, we embroider children's drawings on hoodies and T-shirts, stitching them as drawn. You can order one for the relative and one for a parent at home, so both sides of the distance wear the same drawing. Our pieces come in adult unisex sizes.

Upload the drawing here and preview it first. For U.S. addresses, production and U.S. delivery take approximately 12 business days from the start of production. Available destinations are shown at checkout.

Frequently asked questions

What do you get a grandparent who lives far away?

Something that brings the grandkids into their daily life: mailed drawings, a digital photo frame, recorded stories, or matching keepsakes with a grandchild.

How can kids stay connected with long-distance grandparents?

Regular video calls with a set activity, mailed letters and drawings, shared books, and countdowns to visits all help.

What are good matching gifts for grandma and grandchild?

Matching hoodies or T-shirts with the child's drawing, matching mugs for video-call hot chocolate, or two halves of a bracelet.

How do you make video calls fun for young kids?

Give them a purpose: show and tell, drawing together, reading the same book or cooking the same recipe. Keep them short and regular.