The Magpies have recovered from back-to-back defeats by Leicester and Crystal Palace to beat Liverpool and Tottenham in impressive style to ease, if not end, their relegation fears.
However, having seen his players drag themselves out of the bottom three and into the reaches of lower mid-table, McClaren knows this is no time to relax with Villa heading to St James' Park in even more dire trouble.
Asked where he would like to be at the end of the festive programme, he replied: "I'm not even thinking that far ahead.
"We are thinking of the next game and Aston Villa. It's an opportunity and a challenge, one that we will probably get three or four times over the season, this is an opportunity to kick on.
"Can we take it? Are we ready to do it? Are we ready to win three games in the Premier League in a row, which is a huge, huge ask for any team.
"Believe you me, I have watched Villa in three or four games now and they have got very good players. How they are only on six points, I don't know, but I have seen them play very, very well."