Remember that in-laws have feelings too. If you see something praiseworthy then give praise. If a suggestion from your in-laws is a good one, acknowledge it as such.

If you don't see your in-laws very frequently it could well be the case that holidays are when you get together. Dr. Gail Saltz, a psychiatrist talked about this very issue on the Today Show. Her own tips extend to knowing how long you can easily cope with your in-laws and making sure you stick to this. Dr. Saltz says if you are traveling to stay with the in-laws try to avoid peak travel times as this will set up tension and crankiness before you even arrive. If there are unresolved issues from the last visit it might be worth trying to settle these over the phone before you arrive - even if its only to agree to disagree.

Sources:

Apter, T (2009) What Do You Want From Me? Learning to Get Along with In-Laws. WW Norton & Co.

Saltz, G (2008) Got evil in-Laws? 6 Tips for a stress-free holiday. TodayShow.com

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21905047/ns/today-today_relationships/