Editor's note: Times Columnist Philip Potempa interviewed Betty White last month at her West Coast home.

Betty White has been to the homes of many of her fans during the holidays.

"The one only difference about my visits," said White, relaxing last month in the living room of her home in Brentwood, Calif, "when I've come into homes over the years, it's always been as someone different, since I've been on so many different shows and played so many different characters."

Of course, White, is right.

For example, it you're thinking of White's days as a favorite guest on Carol Burnett's classic variety show, it's White as snobby Ellen Jackson, that's probably the first thought that comes to mind.

White's Ellen was the uppity, rich rival sister of Burnett's dowdy Eunice Higgins character for all of the "Mama's Family" sketches and she even continued to play the part when Vicki Lawrence further showcased the Mama Thelma Harper character on her own spin-off series.

The classic Christmas episode was when Eunice and husband Ed, played by Harvey Korman, have Mama (who is insistent she's going to get new bedroom slippers) over for Christmas and surprise her by bringing home her brother Larry (played by Alan Alda) for a family holiday reunion. White's Ellen character ruins the day by refusing to join the party.

For fans of White's days as snippy and "Miss Perfect" Sue Ann Nivens character during her run on "The Mary Tyler Moore" show, the favorite funny Christmas memory is most likely the episode when the entire newsroom is at odds with one another because they are trapped together at the station during a Minneapolis blizzard. Sue Ann invites the entire group to her "Happy Homemaker" studio for a faux Christmas feast filled with funny exchanges.

For the younger set, White is familiar to most as silly Rose Nylund, who spoiled her roommates yuletide the year when the ladies each had plans to visit their families for the holiday, but instead, spent Christmas being held hostage by a man dressed as Santa Claus from the Grief Center where Rose worked as a counselor.

And for game show enthusiasts, there are White's countless appearances during the holidays on every series of high-stakes and skill from "The $25,000 Pyramid" and "Password" to "Win, Lose or Draw" and "Tattletales."

"I'd often do 'Password' as one of the celebrity guests around the holidays because that's when Allen would need someone, since it would be tougher to book guests for that time of year, to tape shows in advance," said White, referring to her beloved late husband and game show great, Allen Ludden, who died in 1981.

"There's not a day that doesn't go by when I think of my Allen. That's his photo in the frame right over there (pointing). He's always here with me."

White, who still has her beloved dogs with her for company, including a new puppy (she lost her cat earlier this year), still lives in the same beautiful colonial home she's shared with Ludden after they married in 1963, from their meeting when she guested on an episode of "Password."

And she says she's equally excited about the new revived version of "Password" that will launch this spring on CBS, taped in New York and featuring Regis Philbin as host.

"I just enjoy keeping busy, and doing game shows are almost always fun," said White, who originally hailed from Oak Park, Ill., and who turns 86 on Jan. 17.

"If they call me, I'll do it."

But White, who most recently has been part of the regular casts of ABC's "Boston Legal" (as an abrasive secretary) and the CBS daytime soap "Bold and the Beautiful" as a frigid and uncaring mother, says she most enjoys just playing herself.

"If I'm doing a game show, I really prefer it to be something that requires you to think, rather than just acting silly or doing stunts," White said.

"I mean, the last time I did this newer version of 'Hollywood Squares,' I couldn't believe how much of the lines and jokes were all so scripted."

As for her preference these days for playing herself and doing cameos, she said one of her first experiences she had "playing Betty White" was on a 1972 episode of "The Odd Couple," where she starred with her husband Ludden, as the famous couple tried to dine at a restaurant while being pestered by Tony Randall's Felix character, who is eager to appear on "Password."

She said she even enjoys playing some of the "slightly over the top" versions of herself, such as her own cartoon likenesses, which she voiced on Fox Network's animated hits "The Simpsons" (2000) and "Family Guy" (2006), the latter of which had her angry and suing the lead character Peter Griffin when he advertises that White is featured on the audio version of his erotic novel as the narrator.

Early this month, she played herself on ABC's "Ugly Betty," in an episode when Vanessa Williams' character steals a cab from her and the door get slammed on White's hand, causing her to exclaim: "Jack Ass!"

With an ornery smile, White admits that surprising people by agreeing to do some very "unlikely" roles can be very rewarding, including her portrayal of a very feisty widow, opposite her old "Mary Tyler Moore" co-star Ed Asner, in the feature film "Hard Rain" in 1998 and an eccentric recluse protecting a monstrous alligator in "Lake Placid" in 1999.

Today, she says she seeks smaller roles that require less prep time.

"I've found out first hand that doing soap operas like 'Bold and the Beautiful' is a tough business," she said.

"You have a lot of lines to learn and you have to get the scenes down fast, including script changes."

During the summer, she said she enjoyed doing an episode of the TV Land original series "Back to the Grind," which asked stars to reprise the careers of the famous characters they played on television.

For White, she teamed with Food Network executives to host her own cooking show, a la her Sue Ann Nivens character. She treated viewers to her recipe for a fried peanut butter and bologna sandwich.

"Hey, don't knock it, if you haven't tried it," White said.

"I eat one of these things about every other day. They're good!"

As for her famous friends, she said she still keeps in close touch with Moore, who lives in New York, as well as Asner and Rue McClanahan.

And when she's not filming, her time is spent giving back to animal causes, such as serving on the board of trustees of the Los Angeles Zoo and active with The Morris Foundation, a national research organization dedicated to improving the health of animals.

"I've been so very blessed to be able to do so many things that I love," White said.

"And if I've brought some smiles to others along they way, even better. Happy holidays to your readers!"