True friendships genuinely do transcend time, space and distance, and if you are fortunate enough to have one or more close friends whom you have had since childhood, your life can only be richer as a result.
If your best friend lives in a different town, city or even a separate country from you, birthdays are the ideal time to show them how much you love and appreciate them. With this in mind, here are some ideas and inspirations for some of the best presents for faraway friends.
1. A Retro Sweet Hamper
Nothing says ‘Happy Birthday’ quite like a gorgeously presented and deliciously varied retro sweets hamper, and when you see the impressive and customisable selection on offer online at the traditional Sweet Hamper Company, you will truly be spoilt for choice.
Furthermore, if your cherished best friend is currently studying or working abroad, then a classic sweets hamper is certainly a lovely way of reminding them of the place they grew up and their home comforts.
2. A Surprise Birthday Video
The wonders of modern technology mean that there are so many ways to communicate with loved ones who have moved away, either on a temporary or permanent basis.
Gone are the days when the only thing you could do was place an inordinate amount of faith in a passing carrier pigeon, and now innovative video conferencing and recording software offer a fabulous alternative.
Contact the key members of your high school, college or university group of friends whom you and your best friend are still in contact with, and ask them to record a short birthday message before combining the individual video clips into one.
Use online services to create a unique and private barcode for your friend to view their birthday video and print out and stick it into their birthday card.
3. A Spring Flower Kit
For the green-fingered, sustainable and environmentally conscious friend, you could choose to take an entirely different direction for a sentimental and thoughtful gift, and instead of sending them a more traditional bouquet of flowers, you could compile a collection of seeds.
Light and easy to post (although do be conscious of any laws regarding seeds and plant products if you are sending the package overseas), seeds that will grow into anything from a rose bush to a herb garden make for a natural and beautiful birthday present.
This way, your birthday present will simply keep on giving year after year.
4. Personalised Friendship Jewellery
The fourth and final fabulous suggestion for a sentimental birthday present for close friends who currently live far away is to choose a piece of affordable yet quality jewellery for them and have it personalised.
You could even go one step further and treat yourself to the same, or similarly designed, necklace, ring, bracelet or pair of earrings and have both their and your items personalised with a quote you both often say as part of a private joke, or else each other’s names.
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