Originally Posted by SueZQ from MN

Do you mash potatoes with a masher or with an electric mixer? Had twice-baked potatoes, so neither.
Do you peel potatoes with a knife or a peeler? See answer #1 - no need to peel.
Do you carve your turkey at the table or in the kitchen? Hubby smoked ribs - no turkey.
Do you generally serve buffet style or pass dishes at the table? All dishes were at the table. I had 2 dishes with rolls and butter, one for each end of the table.
Do you have a special "kids" table? No. Firstly, because all the kids are grown and we don't yet have the next crop of babies. Secondly, I don't like separating kids from adults. I don't like the exclusionary aspect of it, and I think they need to observe proper behavior and etiquette.
Do you serve a big meal for Christmas eve? No. Christmas Eve is for kicking back and relaxing after a busy week of prepping. Usually we have a friends get-together - everyone wears their jammies, brings an appetizer to share, we play games and have a white elephant gift exchange. It's a really fun way to pass what is typically a very long and antsy evening.
Do you have to "share" family members every other holiday? Not really. Both my family and my husband's family are very relaxed. If you're here, great. If you made plans to be elsewhere, we don't get our panties in a wad. We just Facetime the ones who are far away at some point in the day.
Do you host or are you a guest for Christmas? By default, I seem to have taken over the matriarchal duties for the holidays, so we usually host, unless we're visiting Hubby's family in another state.
Is alcohol served for either Christmas eve or Christmas Day? Yes. Lol.
Do the men help with the cooking and clean-up? My husband prepares the meat and dessert dishes. My sons help a LOT with leftovers and cleanup.
Are your Christmas guests allowed to bring their pets? Depends on the pet. Nephew has very calm, well-behaved and obedient dogs, so he's allowed to bring them. Otherwise, I don't think it's fair to displace our kitty in her own home. It's her Christmas, too.
Do you make some of your food in advance and re-heat when it is time to eat? I *prep* them. For instance - cranberry sauce, ice cream, and cheesecake were made the day before, asparagus and Brussels sprouts cleaned and chopped, twice-baked taters went thru their first bake. On Christmas Day I cook the veggies, bake the twice-baked potatoes the second time, and hubby smokes the ribs. My mom is always in charge of candied yams, which she brings over on Christmas Day.
Do you set a formal table with special linens, china, silver and crystal for Christmas? Yes. We have an extraordinary set of china with a fabulous back story. I want my children to have memories of us using it, so when it's time to pass the china down, they will value it and take care of it. My grandmother has china that I have no memories of ever being used and am therefore not attached to it at all. (Much to her dismay, now that she's trying to re-home it.)
Do you send all the leftovers home with your guests or keep them for yourself? This is too binary. It's not "all or none". If people want some, they're welcome to take some. Most of my guests love my cranberry relish, so they usually take a bowl of it home. (I always make double and tuck some in the back of the fridge for us, lol.)
If you eat your big meal at noon on Christnas Day, does everyone eat a leftover supper before they head for home? We don't eat the big meal at noon. We have a charcuterie smorgasbord thing going most of the day and eat the main meal about 4 or 5 pm.
Do you play cards or board games after your big meal? I would love to, but my mom and grandma are the only ones that like to play games, and they usually leave fairly early. Sometimes if I'm ahead of my food prep game and they arrive early enough, we'll play games before eating.