Holidays and Family...

Hi All,
As you all know, we all get together to at the big "J" to exercise, laugh and dance off any stress from these lovely things we call 'family holidays'...in our minds, we always hope for that 'Norman Rockwell' holiday of wonderful food, conversation and laughs. In reality...not so much.
I talked to a few of my friends today and, whether they celebrated Easter or Passover, they have a story.
For the most part, my girlfriends have issues with their Moms. Oh, we all love our Moms, but Mom tends to, shall we say, 'nitpick' when it comes to holiday time. What you're wearing, cooking, how the kids are dressed...pick pick pick. I always find it interesting that my Mom (and others) will profess how irritated they were by their own Moms or MILs nitpicking, yet they still do it to us.
Or, my friends find that they have the whole clan over, work all day (and days before) cleaning, cooking and all and no one lifts a finger to help so the hostess is left exhausted and not really enjoying the day.
Now, I don't have some sage advice or anything, but I like to KISS. (Keep It Simple Sista)
-No elaborate 12 page "Martha Stewart" recipes
-Stop making 12 vegetables, 3 starches, 2 entrees, 27 appetizers and 8 desserts
-Stop hauling out the BEST china (use it every day instead, why save it?) and use the LEAST amount of dishes possible. Is the world going to end if you serve appetizers or desserts on paper plates? NO.
-Get only the house spaces clean that folks will see and stop worrying about cleaning out YOUR closet in case your Mother goes up there...she won't and if she does, who cares!!??
-Remember that your family really wants your TIME so if you spend it in the kitchen, running back and forth trying to do dishes while your company is still there-they'll never see you and you will never enjoy the time
-Prepare as much as you can BEFOREhand so you can sit and enjoy yourself on that special day (many things CAN be made ahead, even I know that!)
Our next big holiday is Memorial Day. Thank God it's a 'cookout' kind of holiday and having people over for that is a breeze. 'KISS' and enjoy that upcoming first weekend of Summer!