If you’re in the USA, you may not have come across the idea of “experience gifts” until now. They’ve been very popular in the UK and Europe for over 10 years and I think they make the perfect long distance relationship gifts.

When you give someone an experience gift, you’re giving them the opportunity to experience something they wouldn’t normally be able to do. The choice is so huge that there really is something for every taste (and if you’re the one buying, for every pocket).

Click here to jump straight to my choice of the best experiences. Otherwise carry on reading to find out why I think they make such excellent long distance relationship gifts for anytime, but especially for Valentine’s Day:

Huge variety of gifts

The type of experiences fall into four basic categories: driving (including Formula 1 and Indy), gourmet (chocolate-making, wine-tasting, personal chef), pampering (spa days, weekends away, makeovers) and action adventures (bushcraft weekends, balloon rides, fighter pilot). Now tell me you can’t find something perfect for your partner in that lot!

But if there’s just too much choice and you can’t decide, nearly all the companies will let you buy a “Choice” voucher for however much you want to spend, and your valentine can choose whatever experience they want.

Excellent price range

I found experiences ranging from $50 in the US and £14 in the UK up to hundreds of dollars or pounds. A lot of companies are running special offers for Valentine’s Day and I have a few promo codes to share.

Local activities

No matter how far apart you are, you can arrange for your lover to experience an activity close to their home, even if you’re in different countries. You can buy experience gifts for the USA, the UK, Europe and Australia.

No delivery worries

The experience company will send a beautifully boxed gift certificate; but if you’ve run out of time, you can email it to make sure it gets there on time. Even if you’ve left it to the very last minute, or delivery to your partner’s area is unreliable, they can still receive an awesome gift from you, right on time.

Lasting memories to share

Even though you can’t be together, you’ll be creating special memories that will last longer than a bouquet of roses or a gift basket. Your partner can take photos or a video of their experience to share with you later and they will forever associate the awesome time they had with you.

So what’s available?

In the US the largest experience company is Cloud 9 Living, who offer over 1,700 experiences nationwide, starting at $50. The most popular experiences for men are race car driving (from $79); your guy can race a Ferrari, ride along on a stock car or take part in Indy or Dragster racing.

Other unique action experiences include being a fighter pilot for a day, golf lessons and glider rides.

For something a bit less energetic, there’s a huge choice of spa days and treatments from $55, gourmet food and chocolate tours, a glass-blowing day and in-home cooking lessons.

Experience gift certificates are available from $50 and the promo code CJ2012VDAY will give you $14 off all experience gifts up to 15 February.

In the UK experience gifts have been around a lot longer and there are several really good companies to choose from. The original experience company is Red Letter Days and they currently have 15% off Valentine’s Day gifts. Maybe he’d enjoy a footplate ride on an old steam engine (£129) or to spend a day brewing his own beer (£99)?

I would personally love someone to give me a John Lewis pampering shopping experience with £225 to spend, thankyewverymuch, and I’ve never been known to turn down a pamper spa day. If you can’t choose, flexible experience packs are available from £50 to £1,000. They’re colour-coded so no price is shown, and there are guaranteed to be at least 50 options in each price band.

Virgin Experience Days have some very cool-sounding activities like a Qi energy treatment for £40; a range of Choice boxes starting at well under £50; and a sterling silver “Last Rolo”. You’d have to be a Brit to understand that one! You can of course buy an open Choice voucher and print out or email a temporary gift certificate.

Three other companies offer gift experiences in the UK: Activity Gifts (my fave is the superstar DJ experience but you might prefer the weekend bushcraft and survival course); Experience Mad (gorgeous boudoir/lingerie photoshoot sessions at an all-female photographic studio and an adrenalin cocktail adventure weekend in Wales), who also offer online vouchers; and Into the Blue (Twickers rugby stadium tour for £14 and a special offer on driving a Ferrari for an hour). The promo code VALENTINESPOST will give you free next day special delivery on any experience between £25 and £50 if you get your order into Into the Blue before 4pm on February 13th.

I hope this has helped you come up with some last-minute ideas for your long distance Valentine’s Day gift. It’s hard enough being apart on Valentine’s Day; no need to add to the stress by trying to find and post the perfect gift in time.

Let me know what you choose and how much your partner enjoys it

Warmly

Isobel

My friends Michael and Alison told me about a “long distance date” they had one Valentine’s Day before they were married. They were long distance for about 3 years before she moved to Canada to be with him and they’ve been married for quite a few years now. Here’s the story of their date:

Alison: I’ve never enjoyed cooking but Michael loves it. One year he decided it was time that I learned to cook one of his favorite dishes for Valentine’s Day and the fact that I lived nearly 3,000 miles away wasn’t going to stop him!

Michael: I love Eggplant Parmesan and Alison had never even tried it. I thought it would be fun to teach her but as we couldn’t be together physically I would have to be a bit creative about it. I also wanted it to be a bit of a surprise although as she was going to be doing the cooking with me, she had to know something about it!

A few days before Valentine’s Day I sent her a shopping list …

Alison: I couldn’t think why on earth he’d sent me this list! What was I supposed to do with it? It was split into several sections, such as “get these fresh at the last minute” or “only buy these if you don’t already them” – that was for herbs and spices. I still didn’t understand what he had in mind though, but one of the items was a good bottle of wine so I thought “how bad can it be?” lol

Michael: I had to work out the timings of the recipe very carefully to make sure we started early enough. I knew it was going to take a lot longer than usual to make the dish as I’d have to show and explain everything as we went along and then wait for her to do it. It turned into almost an all-day event! I also had to check that she had the right pans and dishes to cook in .. her kitchen really was very basic. I wanted to give her as little information as possible and right up until the very last minute she had no idea what she’d be cooking.

Alison: We Skyped using our laptops but also hooked up webcams so it was easier to see what the other one was doing without dropping our laptops into the food! He made us start pretty early – about 11am – but that worked really well because I wasn’t rushed and I had time to take a shower and change while dinner was cooking.

Michael: I planned it so she could watch me prepare something, then I waited and watched her while she did it. That meant I could show her the easiest way to do things and also check that she was doing it ok. She did a great job! I think she was a bit scared before we started that she’d look dumb but I really wanted her to learn to enjoy cooking so I gave her lots of positive feedback and she got more confident.

Alison: He was awesome! I had no idea how to chop an onion correctly but after watching him I realized it was no big deal. He kept telling me how well I was doing and after I while I realized I was enjoying myself. He made it fun, which is one of the reasons I love him – he makes everything we do together fun

Michael: And she was a really good sport. I knew she was doing it for me, because even now she doesn’t really like to cook, but she gave it her all and we had such a good time.

I had one more trick up my sleeve though …

Alison: Yeah, he really got me with this one! We were halfway through eating the main course when my doorbell rang – and there was a cab driver delivering my dessert from a local restaurant!!

Michael: I thought dealing with one main dish and sides was enough for her first cookery class When I ordered and paid for the dessert I wanted the restaurant to deliver it – but of course they’re far too busy on Valentine’s Day for that. They suggested a local cab company and I was able to book the cab and pay for it over the phone.

Alison: Years later, that’s still one of our most memorable Valentine’s Days – even though we were apart. It was such a creative and romantic thing to do – no wonder I love him so much!

Make it yours:

• If you only have a few hours together, make a video of you doing the prep tasks in advance. Upload it to Dropbox – you get 2GB of free storage – and send the link to your partner, so they can get the longer jobs done before you hook up later to finish cooking the meal together.

• If you have enough time, you could buy the ingredients in advance as well and have them delivered. That way, you can make the event even more of a surprise.

• Maybe your partner doesn’t have cooking facilities? Order a meal sent in from a local restaurant and order the same for yourself. You don’t get to cook together but at least you can share a meal.

Take a look at this video:

It’s called the Internet Message Clock and basically once your partner has plugged it in to their internet router, you can send them a message over the internet which will be displayed as floating text above the clock! And you can send as many messages as you want, as often as you want. Seriously, how awesome is that?

If you just want to jump straight to the details of the discount price I found then please click here:

Internet Message Clock Price

When I first saw it, I literally couldn’t believe it – I thought it was a hoax of some kind! But it’s on Amazon so I guess it can’t be I did some searching around to find out more about it and exactly how it works and I’ll do my best to explain it.

It has a rapidly oscillating wand which carries tiny LED lights at its tip. The wand moves so fast that you can’t see it, but you can see the lights it outputs, and it’s the lights that create the message. Because the wand is invisible, the message seems to be suspended in mid-air. As you can see in the video, it’s not a static display – it flashes and shimmers because the wand keeps moving, but the message remains perfectly readable. The technique is called “persistence of vision” and it’s been used in major Hollywood movies.

As well as the messages you send, the internet message clock can display news and sports updates, stock quotes etc. and your partner can also program in daily messages, such as reminders. All this – plus of course it’s an accurate 12- or 24-hour clock which adjusts automatically for daylight savings time.

Just imagine waking your partner with a happy “good morning” message or wishing them a sweet goodnight. I think it’s such a cute way of staying in touch, much more romantic and personal than a text that anyone could send. I couldn’t wait to tell you about it!

There are a few different versions of the internet message clock available; this particular one is by Fascinations and it’s a few dollars more than some of the others I saw. However, some of the customer reviews for the cheaper versions said they were flimsy and broke easily so I think paying a little extra is worth it.

Internet Message Clock Price

The Price? Brilliant! The Fascinations Internet Message Clock price is very competitive for something so creative and different. Especially considering all the extra features that make this such a perfect Valentine’s day gift idea for a long distance relationship.

Click here for the best price for the Internet Message Clock

That’s the best price I found online for this model – and one big advantage of buying it online is that you can have it sent direct to your partner as a gift.

I’m going to order mine right now and I’ll let you know what he thinks of it after February 14th!

Warmly

Isobel

We’re so easy to buy for; jewelry, books, perfume, clothes, a romantic dinner for two, spa products, a weekend away … Really, we’re happy that he just remembered to get us something, right?

Many men don’t wear jewelry, they’re not really bothered about clothes as long as they have something clean to put on, they’re more likely to watch TV than read … all generalizations I know, but that’s because they’re generally true!

So what’s left?

Well, if he has a hobby that he’s passionate about and loves buying new gadgets for, and you know exactly which gizmos he already has and which ones he’s drooling over – your answer is right there. However, a word of warning: my sister’s husband is a keen golfer and one Christmas she thought she’d found him the perfect present – a gadget to help him perfect his swing. He played with it for 2 hours on Christmas day, and she’s never seen it since. She now buys him a new polo shirt every year and he’s quite happy with it, but she feels like a failure because there’s no creativity involved.

While looking around the Amazon website this week, I did come up with one item that she’s seriously thinking about for Valentine’s day; a very classy belt in Italian leather with an 18k gold-plated buckle with The White Ball logo on it. A golf belt but really smart enough to wear anytime and it will look great with jeans. It’s a luxury item, but may be worth it to give him something different?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click for more info

If you’ve had some really good Valentine’s day ideas for your husband and would like to share them – I’d sure we’d all welcome the inspiration! Please add a comment below and claim bragging rights

Warmly

Isobel

Amethyst Heart Shape
Pendant Necklace

Jewelry is a classic Valentine’s Day idea for your girlfriend, but don’t just buy the first piece of heart-shaped jewelry you see. To make it a gift she’ll really appreciate use your knowledge of her, combined with the tips in this article, to choose something she’ll want to wear every day.

Reconnoitre and Research

For a few days before you go shopping, make a point of looking at the jewelry she wears regularly. Does she prefer yellow or white gold (or silver)? That’s an important point, some women wear ONLY one color and although she’ll smile sweetly and thank you nicely if you choose the wrong one, she won’t wear it. She may also have allergies to certain metals; a silver allergy is very common, gold allergies are rarer. Be careful with the less-expensive metals such as enamel or pewter; they’re more likely to cause allergies.

Also look at the styles of jewelry she wears. Does her jewelry sparkle with precious or semi-precious stones, or does she wear plain bangles or chains with not a glitter in sight? I love “bling” – if it glitters, I’m drawn towards it like a magpie. My sister on other hand wears only very simple jewelry, with maybe a single tiny diamond to set it off. What’s your girlfriend’s style?

Take your Budget into Account

Don’t feel pressured to buy the most expensive piece you see; there’s lots of beautiful jewelry that won’t cost you several months’ pay. She won’t be impressed by the size or expense as much as by the thought you’ve put into your choice and how well it shows you know her.

You don’t even have to buy “real” jewelry; there are some stunning costume jewelry pieces that she might even prefer, especially if she’s under 25.

Do You Know Her Birthstone?

Every month of the year has an associated birthstone; for example, January is the garnet or ruby. You can see the complete list here and choosing a piece with her birthstone can be a good start. It’s very personal, even if she doesn’t know what her birthstone is, and thoughtful; it means you’ve bought something specifically for HER and not just picked up the first thing you saw.

Classic Love Symbols

There’s always a lot of Valentine-themed jewelry being promoted at this time of year. The classic shape is a heart, of course. Heart-shaped pendants come in all styles and price ranges, but don’t automatically choose one if it’s not her style. If she’s not the “hearts and flowers” type, you can still incorporate a Valentine theme by choosing red-colored stones, for example. It’s more important to choose something you know she would like, even if it’s not strictly a “Valentines” piece.

Buying a Ring

Buying a ring can be more daunting because you have to know her exact size and there’s no simple way to find that out. Her existing rings won’t have a size marked on them and she probably doesn’t even know her own ring size. You really have three choices if you really want to give her a ring: “steal” one of her rings for a day and take it with you when you shop, or measure its diameter if you’re buying online; buy the size you think is closest and return it for the correct size after Valentine’s Day if necessary; take her with you, so it’s not a surprise but at least you’ll know it fits. Which would she prefer?

Refunds and Returns

Most shops and online stores will allow you to return something that doesn’t fit or is the wrong style; some will insist you choose something else, others will give a cash refund. However, most places will NOT exchange or refund earrings, for hygiene reasons and having to take or send something back takes the edge off your gift.

Hopefully this has given you some Valentine’s Day ideas for your girlfriend, and of course most of the points hold true whatever the occasion or time of year.

If you need any additional help or have some great ideas of your own, do comment below or drop me a line through the Contact Us page – I’d love to hear from you!

Warmly

Isobel
P.S. Amazon is running some awesome lightning deals in jewelry for Valentine’s Day!