For many of us who work outside the home, weekends are a critical bloc of time to use for preparation.  There are three weekends left between now and Christmas.

As you might expect, stores tend to be extra busy on weekends.  On the other hand, it may be more possible to do your shopping by daylight which is likely to be safer.  Just take extra patience and realize that the crowds will be larger and it may take longer to accomplish your tasks.

Because of daylight, it's a good time to do any outside decorating.  You do not want to be climbing on your roof in the dark.

Weekends are also a good time to bake with kids as they are less likely to be over-tired and you won't be facing the need for school work and baths before bedtime as well.

On the other hand, some tasks go exceptionally well on weeeknights.  You can write a few cards each night after dinner.  You can wrap a few presents at a time.  If a craft project has multiple steps with time needed in between (perhaps for drying), it could be good to spread that over several evenings.

So, as we begin the weekend, look over your remaining tasks and decide which ones you will do on weekends and which are better suited for weeknights.