But now, as your work week draws to a close and you're looking for a way to spend those last few hours in the office, or you're already home and need to take a break from wrapping presents and baking cookies, pull up a seat and see what we've been busy with at Mashable this week.
With the holidays nearing and the end of the year not far behind, you can be sure we've been creating megalists of resources from the past year, as well as providing quick start guides for some of the gifts you may be receiving and predictions for what we think will make the news in 2011. You'll find all of those posts here in our weekly features re-cap.
Social Media
Top 10 Twitter Trends This Week [CHART]
Wondering what was on the minds of the most tweeters this past week? Check out the big chart for the complete picture.
4 Innovative Social Good Campaigns for Education
These four projects have found innovative ways to help build schools using digital outreach campaigns.
What Twitter's Trending Topics Told Us About the World in 2010 [CHARTS]
Looking for a bird's eye view of all the Twitter trends from 2010? Check out this breakdown of a year's worth of popular 140 character conversations.
3 Predictions for Social Good in 2011
The coming year will see more developments as technologists, activists and online communicators work together to try to address issues related to social good campaigns.
10 More Creative Uses of the New Facebook Profile [PICS]
Following on from our original top 10, here are 10 more creative new Facebook profiles crowdsourced from the marvelous Mashable readership.
Meanwhile, at Santa's Social Media Command Center... [COMIC]
If Santa has any hope of staying competitive in the digital age, he'll need to ditch the lists and adopt some social media management tools.
Video and Entertainment
12 How-To Videos for Hosting the Perfect Holiday Party
We're offering you a helping hand with your festivities with a selection of how to videos that will give you some seriously special skills to impress your guests.
5 Free, Fresh and Festive Holiday Music Playlists
We’ve composed a collection of slightly off-beat holiday playlists to get you out of your Scrooge-like funk.
HOW TO: Get the Most Out of Your New Xbox 360 With Kinect
We have some suggestions for how you can get the most of your new motion control machine.
For more social media news and resources, you can follow Mashable's social media channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
Tech & Mobile
9 Ways to Connect With Santa on the Web
Prove to your kids that the man in red is real with the help of these nine fun sites and services.
22 Essential Resources for Android Owners
Whether you need to find the best apps, or you're looking to develop your own, check out all of our Android resources from the past year.
Tough Tech: 10 Rugged Gadgets That Will Go the Distance
This selection of tech will take whatever you can throw at it (or in some cases throw it at) and keep on going.
8 Musical iPad Apps for the Digital Maestro
Turns out, people love making stuff with their iPads. And not just the pros. The App Store is packed with ingenious tune-making tools that can turn iTunes lovers into active players.
Behind the Scenes: What it Takes to Redesign a 12 Million User Website
Mashable got a sneak peak at Thrillist’s new design, along with the scoop on what the inside of such a massive art project looks like.
Constantly Changing Technologies: What’s a Software Developer To Do?
There is no choice but to remain current. Many technologies that were cutting edge just a few years ago are completely outmoded today.
5 Predictions for Online Data In 2011
Data, particularly as it relates to marketing and social media, is no longer an annual topic, but a daily one. In this post, we outline five data-driven trends that will shape our coming year.
HOW TO: Get Started With Your New Wi-Fi Router
Need help with that new router? We show you some tips and resources that'll get you off to a good start.
HOW TO: Get the Most Out of Your New Nikon D3100
If this is your first DSLR of any kind, chances are you'll be looking into some accessories and tips for how to use your camera. Check out our handy quick start guide.
Reddit Political Action Committee: We're Not Happy With the New Net Neutrality Rules
We spoke with Eddie Geller about the impact of the net neutrality vote and the goals of a new PAC formed via Reddit's online community.
HOW TO: Get Started With Your New Roku Player
The Roku is easy to use and pretty self-explanatory in terms of features, but we’ve managed to track down some tips and tricks to make your streaming entertainment box as awesome as possible.
5 Free Annotation and Collaboration Tools for Web Projects
Here are five of the best free tools to annotate and collaborate on the web.
4 Predictions for Connected Devices in 2011
Intel's futurist takes a look at what we might expect from our phones, TVs, tablets and cars in the new year.
HOW TO: Build the Ultimate Home Theater
Here's a checklist of the nine essential ingredients you'll need for the ultimate home theater.
5 Predictions for Mobile in 2011
Devices are getting more powerful, data connections are getting faster and developers are really pushing the boundaries of how we define a "mobile app." Here's what we think is in store for the future.
For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable's tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
Business
23 Free, Web-Based Tools SMBs Are Asking for Now
Here’s a list of great resources for SMBs that meet some of the most pressing needs you experience as a business owner or entrepreneur.
10 Predictions for the News Media in 2011
In the coming year, news media’s focus will be affected by the personalization of news consumption and social media’s influence on journalism.
19 Resources to Help You Land a Job in 2011
We've pulled together all our job-related resources from the past year to help you land your dream job in tech, social media, marketing or dev and design.
5 Essential Web Apps for the Lean Small Business
Here are five cool tools that cover important bases for any business -- from basic file sharing and team communication to user testing and content management.
5 Predictions for Small Business in 2011
Here are five predictions about how small businesses will continue to adapt to changing technologies as we move into the new year.
6 Predictions for Digital Advertising in 2011
The social web equips advertisers with more consumer data points than ever before. Here's what may be in store for the coming year.
4 Web Apps For Managing Job Applications
Use these four simple web apps to manage job applications for your small business.
150+ Business and Marketing Resources From 2010
Whether you're just starting out on an entrepreneurial mission or you're a seasoned marketing pro, there's a good chance you'll find some valuable advice in this mega list.
5 Predictions for the Music Industry in 2011
Despite the industry’s continuing difficulty in adapting to the digital age in a truly profitable way, we have seen some stirrings of change.
75 Essential Small Business Resources From 2010
Whether you're just starting up or well on your way to conquering your market, this list has the advice, examples, and tools to make your small biz stronger with tech and social media.
5 Predictions for the Public Relations Industry in 2011
What should savvy PR practitioners be thinking about as they’re building plans for 2011? Here are a few trends to watch in the coming year.
Top 10 Digital Advertising Innovations of 2010
As web technologies evolve, marketers are getting craftier. Here's a look at some of the most creative digital campaigns we've seen this past year.