Couples in long-distance relationships already have a large number of obstacles to work through and juggling said hurdles during the holiday season can make it even harder. Like most, your mind is probably occupied thinking about things like gifts, family, dinner plans, and more.
If you’re occupied with other things, your relationship may take a back burner.
This can be detrimental as most long-distance relationships primarily rely on communication and quality time together. There’s no reason why the holidays have to take a toll on your relationship, so keep reading for tips to manage and stay mentally invested in a long-distance relationship during the festive season.
1. Watch holiday movies
Why not use the holidays to your advantage? Utilize this time of year where happiness and love are in abundance and people are being enchanted by the joy in the air. Take the initiative to spend some quality time with your partner watching movies that put you in a cheerful mood. Watching holiday films is a great way to focus you and your partner’s mind on more positive things while spending quality time together. Put on your favorite pajamas, make some popcorn, and cuddle up on the couch with a cozy blanket.
Since you aren’t physically with your partner to watch movies, research services that are offered by available streaming apps like Netflix and Hulu. Netflix now offers a service called Netflix Party that will allow friends and family to watch shows together. All you and your partner need to have is two separate accounts and a browser extension called Teleparty, then you’ll be ready for your movie night.
2. Spice things up
holdaySince we’re on the topic of Netflix, why not discuss the chill part of it as well? While the chill aspect isn’t exactly the same when you’re in a long-distance relationship as compared to one where you can physically touch your partner, it can still be just as great. Sex has many therapeutic benefits such as serving as a stress reliever, improving romantic bonds, and strengthening your immune system, so it’s important to make time for intimacy. Use apps like Facetime to your advantage because this will be one of the easiest ways to be intimate without actually being with your significant other.
Make sure you’re prepared for your virtual sexy time by ensuring you have a good wifi connection and that you pick a time where you both will be free of interruptions. Additionally, to ensure you’re making the most of your time, prepare yourself beforehand with necessary medications like Cialis for ed to help improve performance, if need be, or watching an adult movie to get yourself in the mood. If you’re comfortable, you can go outside your norm and even try some festive role-play for an added sense of excitement. You never know, it may become a regular occurrence for you and your significant other.
3. Plan a romantic virtual date
We’ve gone over Netflix and Chill, but sometimes you may want something a little more formally romantic. A virtual date through your designated video calling app can be just what you need to feel connected to your partner during the holidays. A date night can also help you put some of the stress aside and remember why you’re happy to have your significant other in your life. Since this is to be a more formal kind of date, it may require more effort, which is okay. If anything, that just shows your partner how much you care about their happiness and making your long-distance relationship work.
To start, both of you should try to create a romantic ambiance. A dimly lit room with the help of a few aromatherapy candles and softly playing music in the background are all you and your partner need to make an intimate environment. Then, it’s time to think about the meal and presentation. If you really want to be romantic, try remembering the first place that you and your significant other went to dinner and order food from a similar restaurant in your respective locations. Bringing that sense of nostalgia to your date will be worth it. Eat your meals at a table, add a vase of flowers, and nice cutlery for an added flourish. For couples who don’t want to purchase a meal from a restaurant, you can always cook with your partner on Facetime instead.
4. Increase phone calls
As with most long-distance relationships, you and your significant other probably call each other regularly. However, during the holiday months, you should consider upping the number of times you call one another. The holidays can easily occupy so much of your time that you end up communicating less with your partner and creating issues in your relationship. To avoid that, an easy fix that doesn’t require much is to have more phone calls with your significant other to express if either of you are feeling like you aren’t receiving enough quality time. Having conversations centered around problems you’re facing can help you come up with a solution and prevent the problem from becoming bigger.
Use these phone calls also as a form of stress relief and mental refresh. For some, the holidays aren’t always a joyous time. Maybe there are family problems or personal issues that leave you feeling sad or overwhelmed, so talking to your partner can help your mental well-being. This also goes for your significant other as well because maybe they’re also feeling down during this time and need time to vent too. This will help to strengthen your relationship because you’re showing each other that you’ll be there in times of need.
While being away from your significant other during the holidays may be difficult, there are ways to make the whole process a little easier. Facetime, virtual dates, and much more can easily bridge the gap between you and your partner. Utilize the tips above, and don’t let the distance get you down because this season is all about holiday cheer.
You deserve it.