Since before we met, my husband makes a sweet potato casserole adapted from a gourmet magazine (original was more fattening) that's a beloved part of our Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts:

(1) Peel, cook, and mash 6+ sweet potatoes/yams with 1/4 stick of butter and 1/4 cup brown sugar (or 1 Tbsp molasses plus 1 Tbsp sweetener of choice such as splenda, raw sugar, agave nectar).
(2) Stir in 1/2+ cup cream (originally heavy cream, we now use half & half ;-), grated rind and juice of an orange, 1/4 cup or so of dark rum, and a little freshly grated nutmeg.

This is a great side dish with plain meat such as grilled pork chops, steak, or chicken. It also freezes well.

The holiday sweet potato dish I grew up with was Eastern European (Jewish) Tzimmes, which, as my mother fixed it, combined sweet potatoes/yams with carrots, dried prunes and apricots, butter, orange juice and cinnamon. I haven't made it for years, but this recipe from Martha Stewart looks about right:

http://www.marthastewart.com/318407/tzimmes

ASIDE
One of my children's favorite vegetables growing up was carrot tzimmes, with honey and cinnamon and a touch of butter, but no dried fruit.