They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but for many people, spending Valentine's Day without your significant other is less than ideal. However, there are many ways to make the day of lovers romantic even if you're miles apart.

Below are eight creative ways to celebrate Valentine's Day for long-distance couples.

1. Buy A Customized Gift

Some of the most popular Valentine's Day gifts are flowers, cards and candy, but if you can't spend the day with your loved one, buying them a customized gift may be the way to go. If your Valentine has a sweet tooth, you can add a touching message or personal photo on their favorite candy. M&M's lets you choose from 25 colors and allows you to add a short saying, Valentine-themed art or a picture on the chocolate candy pieces. The personalized candies come in a variety of super-cute packages. (For prices click here.) Another cool gift idea is to send your loved one a journal with sweet messages and thoughts. Amazon sells a fill-in-the-blank love journal for $10.

2. Have A Virtual Date Night

Just because you can't physically spend Valentine's Day together, doesn't mean you can't celebrate with a date night. Schedule a time to Skype each other, order your favorite meal and watch a good movie from the comfort of your homes.

3. Mail Them A Letter

Sitting down to write a letter might seem a little outdated, but when you can't spend Valentine's Day with your boyfriend or girlfriend, penning a love note could be very romantic. Or you could take a page from this couple's book and send your Valentine a bunch of little notes they could open whenever they need a little pick-me-up.

4. Create A Love Playlist

If you know your significant other is really into music, you could create a special playlist for them full of romantic ballads, songs from their favorite artists or tunes that remind you of your relationship with them. You can either share the playlist with your Valentine on Spotify or add the songs to a blank CD and mail it to them.

5. Send Them A Gift Card To Their Favorite Bakery Or Coffee Shop

Let your Valentine know you’re thinking about them by treating them to drink or quick bite to eat to one of their go-to eateries. Starbucks is just one of many stores that let you send e-gift cards. All you need to do is pick out the design you want, add a sweet message, enter the amount of the gift card and send it to their email address.

6. Create A Scrapbook Or Photo Album

The saying "A picture is worth a thousand words" definitely holds true for couple's who can't spend Valentine's Day together. Gathering up all your favorite photos of each other and putting them together in an album or scrapbook can add a sweet touch to a Valentine's Day spent miles apart.

7. Celebrate On A Different Day

Just because Valentine's Day is recognized on Feb. 14 doesn't mean you and your boyfriend or girlfriend can't celebrate it on another day. Instead of feeling down because you can't spend the day side by side, make plans to celebrate the next time you see each other.

8. Plan A Surprise Visit

Spending Valentine's Day without your significant other can be tough, so if you absolutely can't wait, plan a trip and surprise them!

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