There are many family customs that have evolved around the lighting of the candles. Sometimes a family will use a candelabrum, lighting multiple candles. In some families, one wine cup is used and either drunk by the individual who recites the blessing or passed around and sipped by each participant. In other families, each family member has a cup filled with wine or grape juice. The challah may be placed on a special board or plate.
Some families use a regular dinner plate.
The challah is covered with a special cloth or napkin. There is a story told that the challah cover came about as a lesson in human dignity. The challah is covered so that it may be spared the embarrassment of being blessed after the wine. Also, both the candles and the wine have special holders and the challah is unadorned. A cover was created to show that the challah is also special.