The 5 S’s of a Successful Long-Distance Valentine’s Day

Being in the military often means you are also in a long-distance relationship. Between training missions, deployments, career advancement programs and drills, many soldiers find themselves apart from significant others more often than not. That means creativity is a must when keeping the spark alive between two love birds. Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to spend some extra time with your sweetheart but if you can’t be physically together, there are five S’s you should remember to celebrate your love from afar: Sweet, Sassy, Simultaneous, Spoil and Surprise

Sweet
Let’s start with the sweet side of love: the good-ole-fashioned ‘tell them how you feel’ way to make your partner smile. Cut up strips of paper and write the things you love about your person, memories you share, reminders of private jokes…anything that makes you feel warm and happy inside. Fold them up and put them in a mason jar tied with ribbon. The recipient can open them all on Valentine’s Day or save some for other days when being apart feels really hard. Keep a journal while you are away and send it to your love for Valentine’s Day. Hand make a card with an image of something special to the two of you and write a heartfelt message inside. Use Shutterfly, Snapfish or another site to make a photo book for a reminder of times spent together that can be revisited on the holiday of hearts.

Sassy
Sweet is great, but sassy is the spice of life. Being apart creates physical challenges when it comes to intimacy but luckily it is 2022. There is an app for that, literally. Let’s start with something G-rated. Bond Touch is a pair of bracelets worn by couples that makes physical connection possible from far away. Missing your sweetie? Give the bracelet a tap and they will immediately feel your “touch” on their wrist and know you are thinking about them. Looking for more? There are many apps that have audio stories couples can listen to together in order to stimulate the imagination and bring some intimacy to distance. Check out Dipsea, Emjoy or Aural Honey for more info. And finally, to experience bliss at the hands of your lover who may not be within touching distance, there are toys that can be controlled by apps to help couples connect even when they can’t be in the same bedroom. We-Vibe and Satisfyer can provide great gifts for your Valentine.

Simultaneous
Speaking of being together, if there is one happy accident that came as a result of the pandemic, it is that helping people spend time together from a distance has become an actual business. FaceTime and Zoom make it possible to have dinner together, even if you aren’t on the same continent. Order your Valentine’s favorite meal to be delivered to their door via Doordash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, etc. and set up your cameras for an intimate dinner for two. Have a movie night by streaming the same flick and lounging on the couch with your companion on screen. Take a class together - check out a cooking class from AirBnB or any number of options from Masterclass.

Spoil
Big-box jewelry stores will have you believe that Valentine’s should sparkle. While a little bling would likely never go unappreciated, gifts don’t have to be shiny or expensive to show someone you care. Send a package with self-care items like bath bombs, a favorite author’s new novel, cookies and hot chocolate or herbal tea. Instead of letting Hallmark take the credit, make a video greeting card - sing a silly song or share your thoughts about the day you met. Choose 14 small gifts or some number that is special to the two of you (an anniversary, perhaps). Wrap them all individually and then in a larger box to make the experience last.

Surprise
Who doesn’t love a nice surprise? While showing up on your sweetheart’s door unannounced would be the ultimate romantic gesture, it's not often that soldiers get that opportunity. With a little planning and forethought, you can be with the one you love on Valentine’s Day. Know their schedule? Enlist the help of neighbors, co-workers and friends to plant messages or trinkets in a scavenger hunt. Use TikTok to give clues to your beloved, sending them to places that you often enjoy together like a local park or hiking trail. Plan ahead and create your own scavenger hunt in your home that doesn’t start until you give the first clue on Valentine’s Day. Create a playlist of all your favorite songs for your dearest to listen to throughout the day.

Whether you choose to be sweet or sassy, spoil or surprise, make some part of your day simultaneous. Valentine’s Day is about being close to the one you love but that doesn’t mean you need to be in the same room. Share your stories of being together from afar on Valentine’s Day below (G-rated only, please).