I've been there a couple times, around Christmas 1971 and Feb 2000. I briefly wrote about my impressions of Whiteface in this story for DCSki:
http://www.dcski.com/articles/view_article.php?article_id=386&mode=headlines
My remarks were probably a bit harsh. I have never visited the town of Lake Placid and I'm sure that will add to the enjoyment of your Christmas visit. If you are a super expert and mother nature cooperates you are in for some of the most challenging terrain in the East. Otherwise, Whiteface will probably encourage you to raise your skiing/boarding game. It is not a place for mindless cruising. The runs down from the highest point are long and scenic, including at least one for solid intermediates, but they are exposed to harsh wind/weather and these trails can sometimes have less than stellar snow surfaces. The terrain over on Little Whiteface (not so little) is served by a newish gondola and is pretty steep. Here's an aerial shot of the upper half of mtn:
http://community.webshots.com/photo/78147708/78149451HIlnNF
Here's an old thread that had some talk about Whiteface:
http://www.dcski.com/ubbthreads22/showfl...h=true#Post8438
You should have an interesting trip. No Eastern skiers portfolio is complete without checking out that massive vertical drop at Whiteface. The Old Bryan Inn in Saratoga Springs is a good place to eat coming or going to Whiteface and is close to the interstate.
PS: I hope you'll tell us about your trip afterwards, and Gore is worth almost as much attn as Whiteface, very significant ski area too, skied it around 1986 (it used to get crowded on weekends from NYC folks).