Great Gift Ideas for Long-Distance Grandchildren, Nieces, and Nephews

You carry their pictures in your wallet, brag about their achievements, and spend all year anticipating your time together. Yet the holidays present special challenges when it comes to selecting gifts for the little people in your life when you live hours, or even days, away from them. You can easily break your holiday budget on shipping costs alone if you shop as if you live right next door, so it's important to rethink traditional gift ideas - preferably without resorting to mailing out a pile of gift cards

Members Only
Treat you favorite family to a museum membership, and they can enjoy the gift year-round. If you visit your grandkids on a regular basis, consider purchasing a membership that will allow you to take them to their favorite zoo or science museum during your stay. If your niece spends time in your hometown each year, purchase a membership where you live, and she will anticipate her next visit even more than usual. Many zoos and museums participate in reciprocity programs, making them useful on either end geographically. Another perk is that you can choose based on either set of interests; if your nephew is wild about whales, an aquarium membership shores up his interest, while an art enthusiast can share a passion for Picasso with her grandkids through an art museum membership.

Themes To Grow On
A great way to build a bond with your little loved ones is to start a collection. Try to choose a theme that can grow with them as their tastes mature. A theme of classic children's literature can be started with chunky board book editions of family favorites and eventually graduate to rare editions of award winning works. A teddy bear collection can start out adorning a crib and grow to include bears from all over the world. Even traditional favorites, such as collecting stamps, coins, or baseball cards, are made more fun when a child knows that someone far away is helping him locate new additions.

Sentimental Journey
Photo albums are a great way to keep your image fresh in the minds of younger children, and a great reminder of shared times together for older kids. If you haven't been able to see the child in person for a number of months, pictures of your last visit can provide a welcome chance to reflect on your relationship. If you have any sort of annual get-together such as a family reunion or camping trip, why not accompany pictures of fun times past with a note about your plans for the next time around?

Another fun photo idea for grandparents is to collect photos from your own childhood. Add captions comparing your favorite activities and interests with those your grandchildren enjoy today. This lets them see how alike you may be despite the gap in ages, and is a truly personalized way to teach a bit of history.

Whatever you send, what matters most is that your young family members will know that they are missed, and that the miles between you matter so little compared to the love you share.