I thought the best holidays were going to be when my kids were little. I was wrong.

Tech Insider : Business
A woman lies on the floor at a festive holiday party

Thomas Barwick/Getty Images

Dating after your partner dies is hard. I feel guilty for wanting connection, but I also need it.

Tech Insider : Business
The author poses in front of a light-colored wall.
The author

Courtesy of Lisa Sparrell

I wanted to be perfect like my grandmother. Then she asked me a question that changed my approach to life.

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Woman posing for photo in the 80s
The author's grandma was a perfectionist.

Courtesy of the author

As my teens get older, they're fiercely embracing our holiday traditions again. I love it.

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A teen boy hangs red garland on a mantle.
The author said she thought her kids were over participating in holiday traditions like decorating, but has found that as they get older, they're becoming nostalgic for them once again.

Courtesy of Kate Loweth

We give our teenagers more experiences than gifts for Christmas. It brings us closer as a family.

Tech Insider : Travel, Business, Style
The author with her family on Christmas Eve together.
The author and her husband prefer to give their kids experiences instead of gifts for the holidays.

Courtesy of Terri Peters

I lived in a camper van outside my grandfather's home to help him feel less lonely. The move also helped me grow.

Tech Insider : Business
Kate Benson in her camper and the exterior of the camper
The author lived in a camper van in her grandfather's yard.

Courtesy of Kate Benson

I was over 300 pounds in high school. Then, college life pushed me to lose over a third of my body weight.

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Dan Petetsky before and after losing 100 pounds
The author lost weight in college.

Courtesy of Dan Petetsky

I keep all of the holiday cards my loved ones send. In the future, I'll give them back in a handmade memory book.

Tech Insider : Business
The author with her file folder of holiday cards.
The author saves all the holiday cards she receives each season instead of throwing them away.

Courtesy of Jillian Pretzel

I work in a research lab and have kids under 7. These are the science-based gifts that they've enjoyed most over the years.

Tech Insider : Business, Style
STEM lantern kits that the author's children built.
The author said her kids enjoy a variety of STEM-based toys they've received, including these Poraxy lantern kits.

Courtesy of Anne James

Coordinating holidays with multiple divorced families is tough. At 72, I'm learning when to let go.

Tech Insider : Travel, Business, Politics
Family around the table during holiday
The author organizes the family's celebration as the matriarch.

Courtesy of the author

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