Chinese ‘Arctic Town’ in festive mode as tourists meet ‘real Santa Claus’

Santa Claus and his elves have been busy at work turning a Christmas village in northeastern China into a winter wonderland for visitors.

In a two-storey wooden house with about 100 Father Christmas dolls, the white-bearded figure in a red suit writes down seasonal wishes with a quill and poses with tourists at the theme park on the outskirts of Mohe, China’s northernmost city.

“If they want postcards, I write down my wishes and guests can send these cards to their friends or parents,” said Ville Haapassallo, a 35-year-old from Finland who is working at the park as Santa until March.

The village features a Christmas post office and giant snow sculptures, creating a Chinese version of Finland’s famous Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi.

Tourists have been enjoying themselves, throwing boiling water into the freezing air to form arcs of ice.

Mohe, known as China’s Arctic Town, holds the record for the country’s lowest-ever temperature of minus 52.3 degrees Celsius (minus 62.1 degrees Fahrenheit), on February 13, 1969.

For most visitors, the highlight of their trip is the fulfilment of a long-held wish to meet Santa.

“I’ve achieved my childhood dream,” said Huang Liwen, 30, who had travelled to Mohe from Guangdong province in southern China.

“It’s a real Christmas now in Santa village, where we can see the real Santa Claus … It was really worth the trip.”