Our DD has always been quite clingy but usually happy as long as me or DH are around. But recently she has started crying and screaming and holding onto to us so tightly when anyone new (or that she hasn't seen for a while) comes to the house or when we go to theirs. She goes to three playgroups and is off to play as soon as we get there. She spends an afternoon with my parents and is quite happy there. But we had some friends round yesterday and she absolutely lost it as soon as they arrived. She was crying so hard she started gagging and she dug her nails into my arms when I tried to turn her round on my knee. I managed to calm her down after about 20 minutes by sitting slightly away from everyone else and playing until she was happy to wander around by herself and then she was fine. The trouble is she does it with family members that she hasn't seen for a while and I'm dreading it at Christmas as I don't want anyone to be offended but more importantly I don't want her getting that upset. Any ideas or is this just normal and I should get over it?