Naughty or nice etiquette top ten

I'm going to post one of the ten tips every few days. These are straight from Peggy Post (Emily Post's daughter and a foremost authority on etiquette), I hope you enjoy and hopefully don't see yourself too much in these situations.

1. Don't invite both members of a divorced or separated couple to a holiday gathering — unless you know they're on good terms. Most people who split up prefer not to see each other, at least initially. Bringing the two together could make them — and possibly others — uncomfortable. Instead, plan to see them separately over the holidays. That will be more time-consuming, but it'll be worth the effort if you want to stay friends with both parties.

This can also be true of blended families that do better...not so blended. It is wonderful to celebrate the holidays with family, but you can either spread your time among the families, or simply state that it will be an "immediate" family gathering (meaning spouse or significant other and your children if you have them), that takes the pressure off of you in trying to create a harmony that you are not necessarily responsible for.