Everyone Thought This Was Santa… Until the Camera Zoomed In

On December 7, 2025, Chikan Ancient Town quietly dropped what might be the most unhinged Christmas crossover of the year — and the internet absolutely ate it up.

At first glance, the scene looked normal enough: artificial snow drifting through the air, a reindeer sleigh gliding overhead, and a red-hatted, white-bearded “Santa” waving to the crowd. Very festive. Very standard. 🎄

Then the camera zoomed in.

That was no ordinary Santa. Under the red hat? A full Qing-dynasty outfit. That iconic thick beard. That unmistakable stare. Yes — it was Aobai, the famously intimidating court official from classic Chinese TV dramas. The result: instant whiplash, instant laughter, instant virality.

The performance, staged by the scenic area itself, was intentionally designed as a “Guangdong-style Santa” — familiar from afar, wildly unexpected up close. Visitors lined up to take photos, kids dragged their parents over, and social media promptly went feral. One remix even turned Jingle Bells into a cursed earworm: “Jingle Aobai.” 🔔😂

The joke landed even harder thanks to Xu Jinjiang, the actor most associated with Aobai on screen, who years ago joked online that Aobai already looked like Santa. Netizens ran with it, inventing fake lore about Aobai being exiled to the North Pole and trading gold for a sleigh.

Proof that in China, holiday spirit + historical villain energy = viral gold. 🎅✨