In a weekly series on WZLX.com, we examine the many crazy things we see on the MBTA all the time – and the life lessons we take from it.

Holiday travel is upon us once again, which means many Mass. residents will be hopping on the MBTA to take the bus, train and commuter rail home en masse to meet their families. In many cases, they will be taking the T with reluctance but taking it out of necessity.

The MBTA had a relatively quiet week, compared to the previous seven days that included the accident at Boylston that injured dozens of riders and got a driver fired.

Nothing nearly as bad happened on the T last week, and there are even new arrival displays installed at North Station and other Orange Line stops to tell you when trains are arriving – that is, if there are no delays…Which always happen.

Here are a bunch of things we know about the MBTA that we may not have realized seven days ago.

MBTA trains sometimes act as a temporary time travel portal.

I don't have the patience for any crazies, Mr. Homeless Master Flash. The 90s are that way. #MBTA #Boston

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E_is for Easy (@E_FillingaHole) December 10, 2012

Elves are always a festive addition to any MBTA ride, drunk or otherwise.

There is so much #christmasspirit on the #mbta. I'm going to guess there was some alcohol involved. http://t.co/Flq5T8d7

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  (@BostonTPeople) December 10, 2012

If you ride the T enough, you’ll catch a glimpse of Ol’ Saint Nick.

Look who I saw on the #MBTA #Santa @allierose @bluerosebeck http://t.co/ra6WAr7F

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Marc J Fernandez (@MarcJFernandez) December 10, 2012

It’s very time-efficient for some to use the MBTA for workout time, rather than just standing there.

And now this fool is doing pull ups on the train like hes at the gym #mbta

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Dobs (@adventureofdobs) December 11, 2012

The MBTA’s budget had to make room for those fancy digital signs somewhere…

We spend millions of dollars on the #MBTA and this is what we get? http://t.co/3JzBpl0F

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John Campbell (@whoisjohngalt) December 11, 2012

Timing your trek to the bus stop is a risky proposition. Every second matters.

Just missing the train makes you reevaluate your whole morning to see where you could have saved 12 seconds and made the train. #MBTA

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Amy Derjue (@derjue) December 11, 2012

That guy using his laptop on the T has ulterior motives you never thought about.

The guy sat next to me on the T is programming on his laptop. His program is trying to work out how he can sit even closer to me. #MBTA 

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Nick Miles (@milesie5) December 13, 2012

The MBTA only has perfect timing at the most inopportune moments.

#thatawkwardmoment when youre about to angry tweet the @mbta then the train finally starts moving again

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Dobs (@adventureofdobs) December 16, 2012

MBTA trains sometimes operate vicariously through hung-over people, which would actually explain a lot.

Hey #mbta were you at the same party as me last night? Is that why you're as sluggish as I am this morning?

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Leila Amerling (@LeilaAmerling) December 14, 2012

The MBTA excels at using their buses in the least efficient ways possible.

Im in a procession of empty 66 busses that are all following each other. This seems inefficient #mbta

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cool dr money (@xieish) December 14, 2012

There is no boundary for musical instruments on the T. None whatsoever.

There’s definitely a guy playing the recorder on my red line train right now. Badly. Wtf? #MBTA

—
Beth Vitale (@vitale_beth) December 14, 2012

See also: More Things We Learned From the MBTA