14 Valentine gift ideas for couples kept apart by COVID

The past year has been difficult for couples who were suddenly plunged into what felt like long-distance relationships because of the pandemic and the resulting lockdown.

Romance in the time of COVID is challenging but that’s even more reason to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Congratulations, your love has survived this persistent virus!

Here are some fun, unique gift ideas for your significant other (and yourself!):

Animal Crossing-inspired portrait by Jassy of Pajama Art

Animal Crossing-inspired portraits

If you spent the early days of the quarantine hanging out together on your New Horizons island instead of in the real world, get Animal Crossing-inspired portraits done by Jassy of Pajama Art (@pajama_art on Instagram). Choose your outfit and background, add your names. You’ll get the digital file but you can pay extra to get prints and stickers as well. Tom Nook would approve.

Custom Animal Crossing Inspired Portrait by Jas

Couple Sticker Sheet by COUCH

Custom couple sticker sheet

Couch (@cooouch) run by Cao and Chikay, makes stickers, pins and silkscreen merch, andd can create your very own couple sticker sheet. It can include illustrations of up to 10 of your favorite things, maybe your pets, snacks you can’t get enough of and more—a celebration of your life together.

https://commonroomph.com/collections/custom-illustration/products/custom-couple-sticker-sheet

Spotify code necklace by Ada Craftts

Custom Spotify code necklace

Ada Crafts can incorporate the scannable Spotify code of your significant other’s favorite song (or the love song that reminds you of her/him) in a handmade resin pendant. She does keychains as well.

@adacraftsph on Instagram

PopJunkLove can turn you into plushies

Custom plushie

Miss hugging your loved one? PopJunkLove (@popjunklove) can turn you into a plushie that can be by your love’s side always. And while you’re at it, why not get a plushie of your loved one for you? You can even buy extra clothes so your plushie selves can have different outfits.

https://commonroomph.com/collections/custom-products/products/custom-popjunklove-plushie

Ink Scribbler’s 2021 First Aid Kit

Ink Scribbler 2021 First Aid Kit

If your girlfriend or boyfriend has been struggling this past year (and who can blame them?), give them this 2021 First Aid Kit by Ink Scribbler Alexis Dy (@inkscribbler). This care package includes a logbook with prompts for thankful thoughts, a notepad, a bookmark, vaccine- and band-aid-themed stickers, a button-style mirror keychain and inspirational jumbo vinyl stickers.

INK Scribbler 2021 First Aid Kit

Vector lamp by Cyrene Joyce Laurente

Vector lamp

Cyrene Joyce Laurente can make beautiful vector lamps based on your photographs. Choose your favorite couple photo and she’ll create a lamp that will immortalize your special moment. This lamp can be the last thing your loved one sees before he or she goes to sleep each night.

@vectorlamps on Instagram

Distance Bracelets from Ink Scribbler’s 2021 First Common RoomPH

Distance bracelets

These bracelets were created “to show that distance has no meaning and you can still feel connected despite being miles apart. Wearing one will make you feel that you carry a piece of each other always.”

https://commonroomph.com/collections/shop-all/products/couple-bracelets

Where to Next Planner

The In-Betweens (Where To Next Planner)

Miss traveling together? Use the Where To Next Planner to dream up your next adventures, reminisce about your previous explorations and savor the present. The WTN planner includes a bucket list for the Philippines and the world, a checklist of provinces in the Philippines, a “reverse bucket list,” world map, 2021 and 2022 calendars and more. A portion of the proceeds will be used for livelihood projects of Aeta communities in Yangil and Botolan in Zambales.

https://wheretonext.ph/products/planner2021

Pin My Travels Philippine Map by Daydream Republic

Pin My Travels Philippine Map

Here’s another one for travel lovers. Remember all the places you’ve visited with Daydream Republic’s Pin My Travels Philippine Map and hang it on your wall. There are different designs—Classic, which is vintage-inspired; Rise, classy and minimalist; Playful, which includes icons of the country’s major attractions; Custom Colors (yes, you get to choose the colors and even customize this map with your names); and PH Seas, created with and for the benefit of Save Philippine Seas (this one’s a great pick for beach, surfing and diving fans). The maps come with a pack of pins and they come in a box which you can use to store your travel memorabilia. There are different world map versions too.

Pin My Travels

100 questions to spark memorable conversations

‘Life Stories’ for memorable conversations

Created during the pandemic, the second edition of Where To Next’s “Life Stories” has 37 additional questions related to the new normal, giving you a total of 100 questions that are meant to spark memorable conversations. The makers say, “We hope these 100 questions bring you closer to others and lead you to a deeper understanding.”

https://wheretonext.ph/products/life-stories-digital; @wtn_wheretonext (Instagram)

“Last Episode Na” unisex shirt by Linya-Linya

‘Last Episode Na’ shirt

If you’ve been bonding over the shows you’ve enjoyed during the pandemic (of course, you have), celebrate those hours spent binge-watching with matching “Last Episode Na” shirts from Linya-Linya. These unisex shirts are available in black and white and from sizes 2XS to 2XL.

https://www.linyalinya.ph

Typewriter explosion box by Ink Scribbler

Typewriter explosion box

Undo the ribbon and this explosion box will unravel to reveal 16 photos (or more) and a super cute paper-crafted typewriter that reveals a hidden message.

@inkscribbler on Instagram

Personalized milk box water bottle

Personalized milk box water bottle

Kitch PH offers really cute milk box water bottles that can be personalized with names, initials, designs, logos, even a little love note. It’s a great way to remind your Valentine to drink enough water each day.

Choose between 500 ml and 1 liter.

@kitchph on Instagram or email contact@kitchph.com.

‘A Whole Entire Book of Things I Love About You’

‘A Whole Entire Book of Things I Love About You’

The makers of this book, Emily McDowell and Friends, call it “a secret weapon of love,” saying “When you fill in the blanks, it becomes the only book of its kind in the universe: a unique, personalized gift for the one you love.”

You complete sentences like: “When we’re together, you make me want to _____” or “I wish we could run away to _____ together” or “I love to watch you ______ but not in a creepy way.”

You could also choose to get “A Whole Book of Things I Love About Us” and have fun filling in the blanks together.

https://www.fullybookedonline.com/

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