Merry Christmas from the Goldfish

This is a not a postcard, but a regular Christmas card of a very large couple and their miniature children, separated by a Christmas tree.

I had always thought that the Christmas tree had pagan origins, but according to Wikipedia, Christian lore attributes the tree's origin to Saint Boniface and the German town of Geismar: "Sometime in St Boniface's lifetime (c. 672-754) he cut down the tree of Thor in order to disprove the legitimacy of the Norse gods to the local German tribe. St. Boniface saw a fir tree growing in the roots of the old oak. Taking this as a sign of the Christian faith, he said '...let Christ be at the center of your households...' using the fir tree as a symbol of Christianity."

Well, O.K., but then there's Santa Claus (aka Saint Nicholas), and he does appear to be based  on the Germanic pre-Christian God, Odin. And what about those elves? I'm just trying to figure out how this all fits together.

Christmas Security Threats

If you notice a suspicious object in the street...

Or you hear something ticking, something that might be an explosive...

be sure to contact the authorities immediately, so they can render these devices harmless. And if you are frustrated with those airport security checks, just think how Santa must feel.

Don't worry, Santa; the scan is anonymous. No one will recognize you.

Streetcar Sunday - Brisbane, Australia

Electric trams operated in Brisbane, Australia between 1897 and 1969. Prior to that there had also been horse-drawn trams. The electric trams were very popular, carrying as many as 160 million passengers at their peak in 1945. After that ridership declined with the increasing popularity of the automobile and increasing suburban development, until, by 1968, annual ridership had decreased to 64 million passengers.

Since 1969, there has been a move to bring back some sort of light rail, but it hasn't happened yet.
Be sure to check out the earlier post on Sydney's trams. For more information on Brisbane's trams, visit the Brisbane Tramway Museum.