Date Better: Send a Care Package

So, you’re in a long distance relationship and looking for ways to stay connected to your love interest.

I have two words for you: care package. Care packages can be a fun way to communicate across the miles (and timezones) with each other while simultaneously expressing your affection for this person.

Care packages, by their nature, require time and effort to create. The work that you put into making them will go a long way in showing the receiver that you care and are thinking about them. Below are a few suggestions for creating your first care package.

Decorate, decorate, decorate!

While having artistic skill isn’t necessary, putting that extra effort into turning a plain box into something interesting to look at communicates that you value this person and think they’re worth your time.

If you are not artistically inclined, look up tutorials online for ideas. Pinterest and Youtube are excellent resources with loads of creative folks uploading and sharing pictures and videos of their crafty care packages.

Next, get to know your local craft store. Michaels and Hobby Lobby have huge selections of stickers and decals that you could use to spruce up that plain old white USPS box. Ladies, don’t be afraid to girly up the care package. Your guy isn’t going to be offended by a few flowers. Guys, I give you the same advice. Add a few hearts or put some colored tissue paper inside to really make the box pop. Photos of you two together is also a nice touch.

Include a handwritten letter.

Yes, that includes you all with barely legible penmanship! The letter is going to be the best part of the package. First of all, it’s rare to receive one nowadays and secondly, it’ll be something tangible that your significant other can reread whenever, wherever. If you’re not much of a writer—learn. Learn to express your feelings in a medium that you wouldn’t normally use. Guys, I cannot emphasize enough how much the ladies in your life will appreciate this gesture of your affection.

If you’re struggling on what to say, try reading the letters of Saint Gianna Molla to her husband, Pietro. Their letters back and forth to each other ranged from truly romantic to just lovingly covering the mundane aspects of their daily lives.

What a gift that we now have as a result of their messages to each other, and what an excellent example of how to communicate your affection from afar. My last thought on this is to keep it short if you’re hesitant to write a letter. Even a short note or card would be sufficient.

Fill the box with things that you think will make your significant other smile.

Filling the box is actually the easiest part. If you’re looking for ideas, first ask yourself what they like. Are they into movies? Send them a collection of your favorites so you can swap movie reviews later. Are they an avid reader? Send them a few books you’d like to read together.

As Catholics, you can never go wrong with sending them gifts geared toward strengthening your spiritual lives. Rosaries, holy water, blessed salt, pictures of the saints, or blessed crucifixes are all thoughtful gifts.

You could always go local and send treats that were made in your area. Think of it as advertising your hometown.

Creating a care package doesn’t have to be a daunting task. It should be fun! Everyone likes getting something in the mail. Put a smile on your boyfriend or girlfriend’s face and send them a box that shows them that you care.