The Shed Diaries

A Shed Diaries Festive Tradition

Every December, without fail, a little red-suited troublemaker named Jingle Bell arrives to turn our home upside down.

I never set out to be that mum — the one crawling around the living room at 11pm staging elaborate scenes, holding my breath while balancing an elf on a toilet roll tower, or whisper-shouting to Rob, “QUICK, SHE’S COMING!”

And yet… here we are.

Elf season has become one of my favourite parts of Christmas.
Sophia’s little face each morning makes every late-night setup worth it — and truthfully, me and Rob have WAY too much fun creating these ridiculous memories.

So here it is:
A look back at Jingle Bell’s best antics through the years — the heart warming, the chaotic, the unhinged… and the ones that definitely required health and safety approval.

✨ Princess Mayhem & Fairytale Dramas

Rapunzel’s Great Rescue

Jingle Bell attempting to climb Rapunzel’s plaited hair like he’s auditioning for a Disney stunt show.
10/10 effort. 2/10 upper body strength.

The Elf Tattoo Parlour

Snow White popped in for some fresh ink and left with hearts, swirls, and the word “Doc” on her thigh.
She seems… delighted?

Dancing on Ice, Elsa addition (With a Live Audience)

A silver tray became an ice rink as Jingle Bell and Elsa performed a dramatic pairs routine.
Stuffed animals gathered to watch — front row seats for Elmo, naturally.

Ariel & Jingle Bell Set Sail for a “kiss the girl” re-enactment

A cosy little boat in the bathroom sink: Ariel, Flounder, Jingle Bell, and a LOT of splashing.

Driving Lessons with Ariel

Safety rating: ★☆☆☆☆
Entertainment rating: ★★★★★
Elf and mermaid spotted joyriding in a pink plastic car.

✂️ Career Changes: Jingle Bell Tries New Jobs

Elf Hairdresser

A princess styling head. A very enthusiastic elf.
The results?
Voluminous. Chaotic. Memorable.

Elf Dentist

A very patient stuffed toy in the chair while Jingle Bell brandished oversized dental tools with alarming confidence.

Elf Chef

Tiny fried eggs (the sweet kind!) in a frying pan. Chef hat on.
Gordon Ramsay could never.

Spa Day for One

Cotton ball bubble bath, cucumber eyes, toilet roll towel.
Honestly? Mood goals.

Naughty or Nice? The Official Assessment

Jingle Bell ticked the “Nice” box for Sophia.
We assume no further questions will be taken at this time.

Elf Yoga Instructor

One morning, we discovered Jingle Bell mid-flow as a very committed yoga instructor — legs stretched, arms lifted, and a determined expression that said:
“Breathe in… breathe out… find your inner festive calm.”
He demonstrated questionable elf flexibility, but full marks for enthusiasm.

🍫 Kitchen Mischief & Sweet Experiments

Fizzy Cola Bottle… Production Line

What looked like an elf sipping from a wine glass was, in fact, Jingle Bell’s entrepreneurial spirit hard at work.
He’d been drinking cola through a straw and — let’s just say it —
pooping out fizzy cola bottle sweets into the glass below.

Absolutely outrageous.
Absolutely staying in the blog.

Olaf Gets Grated

Olaf “melting” through a cheese grater, leaving behind mini marshmallow snowflakes.
Dark. Hilarious. Iconic.

Skittles Rainbow Science

A perfect circle of Skittles and a note:
“Let’s make a rainbow… but you’re not allowed to eat it. Sorry x”
He knows his audience.

🧻 The Toilet Roll Era (An Iconic Phase)

🎥 Toy Takeovers & Movie Nights

✨ The Extravagant Builds (AKA: We Clearly Had Too Much Fun)

These are the ones where me and Rob looked at each other and thought:
“Yep… we’ve officially lost the plot.”
And honestly? These are our favourites.

Yoda’s Intergalactic Beam-Up (A Galactic Masterpiece)

Not a mountain…
Not an expedition…
But a full-on alien abduction scenario.

The lampshade was wrapped entirely in tinfoil to create a makeshift UFO.
Yoda stood at the top — Jedi-serious — overseeing the mission.
A beam of tinfoil “light” streamed downward as Jingle Bell was dramatically pulled upward, mid–abduction, limbs flailing in the most festive sci-fi moment of all time.

Truly?
A space opera. Lucasfilm should call you.

Aladdin’s Flying Carpet – DIY Edition

Jasmine and Jingle Bell soared through the house on a handmade flying carpet — cardboard wrapped inside a festive cushion cover, delicately suspended by wire.
Tell me Disney Imagineers aren’t trembling.

Because simply flying wasn’t enough…
They drifted past the Christmas village like a magical twilight tour.
The drama. The commitment. The wire engineering.

The Royal Variety Show (A.K.A. The Festive Sawing-in-Half Incident)

Perhaps Jingle Bell’s most ambitious production to date…
A full-on variety performance where he attempted to saw Elsa in half in front of a packed audience of Happy Land residents.

The king and queen looked on from their royal box with complete poise.
The ambulance crew stood by, prepared for any magical mishap.
Elsa, ever the professional, smiled through the entire ordeal.
Truly?
Comedy gold. Britain’s Got Talent who?

💫 Why We Love These Silly Little Moments

Elf on the Shelf isn’t really about the props, the mess, or the late-night panic when you forget to move him (again).

It’s about:
✨ Sophia’s magical little gasps each morning
✨ The giggles me and Rob share when we pull off something outrageous
✨ Creating traditions she’ll remember forever
✨ And finding joy in the chaos of Christmas

These silly scenes have become stitched into the fabric of our December — moments we’ll look back on with the warmest hearts.

🎄 Thanks for joining our Elf journey!

If you’re an Elf parent too, I’d love to know:
What’s the funniest thing your Elf has ever done?

Drop a comment, send a message, or tag me in your own creations — let’s keep the festive magic alive.

And if you’re new to The Shed Diaries…
Welcome to the chaos.
You’ll fit right in 💚✨