Well guess you picked the wrong time to take the test then. Year
end period, so they might be low on manpower and stuff. So it might
have been pushed back longer than expected. Don't worry about it,
cos ultimately you will still be able to put it in to your wallet.
;)
And on the topic, I passed my TP test last febuary. 1st attempt
(18points muahaha!) @ SSDC. Well so far I have been driving around
a fair bit. Probably driven more than 7000km to date. So far half
the time I drive, I don't put up the probation plate. It just has
become my bad habit!
I like your P-plate part. When I first got my P-plate, two weeks
ago, I find it a beauti to stick on my family car, now I find it a
nuisance. 
Clock about 1000km++ within 18 days.
aiyah i oct pass, also took around 33 days for them to mail to
me. Year end more ppl lor. anyway, good luck for people
who just booked btt, parking without poles will be better
Who cares about pole? When I pass or rather all my friends that
passed, we don't care how driving centre teach, we just our own
method, that works pretty well.
