Strange old week

[stargalaxy]

Just a couple of strange stories from the week, for your amusement:

SANTA'S STEALING AGAIN! (Ananova)
Police in Germany have arrested three Santas who stole a Christmas tree. Officers noticed the three men dressed as Santa Claus dragging the tree through the streets of Eschwege. Following a closer inspection and some questions, the Santas confessed to taking the tree from the local nightclub. Police escorted the three Santas back to the club to make sure they returned the stolen goods.

GERMANY'S XMAS CARDS STENCH: (Ananova)
Germany's post office is giving away millions of free scented stickers this year to make Christmas cards smell of honey and fir trees. Recipients have to rub the stickers to release the smell from the stickers. The post office began giving away the selection of stickers this week in its shops and delivered 20 million sets free to German households as a promotional campaign to prove that letters can do something emails cannot.

LIB DEM LEADER GOES TO THE EAST END: (BBC News)
Charles Kennedy is to star in EastEnders this Christmas when he takes part in a seasonal special. The Lib Dem leader will play the Ghost of Christmas Future in a sketch for the BBC One soap to be shown on Christmas Eve. He will take part in a one-off variety programme with the cast, based on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

NATZI SCUM IN BLACK BLUNDER: (Daily Mirror)
BNP members walked out of their own Christmas party - after accidentally hiring a black DJ. A member of the far right group booked the entertainer over the phone. BNP organiser Bob Garner admitted: "There was a bit of a cock-up. The chap who booked him didn't realise. The DJ sounded white on the phone. Everyone was a bit alarmed when he turned up with his lights and console. A lot of people weren't happy. I wasn't, really. One or two walked out."

JOE PASQUALE ON TOAST, PLEASE: (Ananova)
A Berkshire man is selling a piece of toast on eBay which he says has the face of Joe Pasquale. Guy Harris, 28, from Thatcham, reckons he recognised the I'm a Celebrity winner straight away. He hopes it will follow the example of a toastie with the face of the Virgin Mary sold by a US woman for £15,000.

AND FINALLY...
NO MISTLETOE AT THE OFFICE PARTY! (Daily Mail)
The days of the fun-filled office Christmas party could be numbered after firms were urged to make sure their staff do not injure themselves by dancing on desks or photocopying parts of their body. A union-produced guide has advised managers not to put up any mistletoe in case it encouraged sexual harassment.

The advice comes as eight in ten firms have already decided not to host staff parties this year because bosses are afraid of being sued by staff claiming injury or sexual harassment during drunken revels. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the TUC published a checklist on how firms could avoid poisoning or injuring their staff in the run-up to Christmas.

Had to laugh at that BNP one, what a bunch of utter morons.

And the scratch and sniff xmas cards do sound nice, I must say, if a bit pointless.