S’porean Man Gave Free Haircuts at Haig Road HDB Void Deck for Christmas

This Christmas season, local digital marketer and content creator Aidan James Loo (@aidanjloo) has taken it in his hands, quite literally, to spread festive joy to the residents living in Haig Road.

In a TikTok posted earlier today (Dec 24), Aidan shared a minute-long video of himself giving out free haircuts for Christmas at a HDB void deck. He wrote: "Thankful for the gift of being able to give. Merry Christmas y'all!"

Armed with nothing more than his barbering tools, a plastic chair, and a sheet of tarp, Aidan got to work while the sun was still up. He trimmed the hair of nine residents in total, wrapping up only at 9.30pm.

Throughout the day, he greeted his “customers” — many of whom were elderly — with a warm smile. He even thoughtfully switched from an electric clipper to scissors when one elderly man was “afraid of the sound”. In return, he was met with grateful smiles and well wishes from those he helped.

There was a small hiccup along the way: Aidan was questioned by authorities after completing his third haircut. However, the matter appeared to be resolved quickly, and he soon resumed offering his services.

Unsurprisingly, Aidan’s comment section quickly filled with praise. Many applauded his kindness, with some calling it “kampung spirit”, while others said the world “needs more people like him”.

"Now this is charity," one commenter wrote.

Another netizen also praised Aidan for being considerate and responsible, noting that he had covered the floor with a tarp to avoid making a mess.

Aidan is the founder of Francesco’s Barber Club, a social initiative named after Pope Francis. Inspired by the late Pope’s teachings, he has been offering free haircuts to people he meets on the streets.

According to the initiative’s Instagram page, Aidan has provided haircuts not only to random passers-by, but also to migrant workers.

In an earlier interview with local online media platform Wakeup.sg, he revealed that he had completed an apprenticeship at a barber shop owned by a friend. Although he was unable to commit to running a shop of his own, he shared that he wanted to use his barbering skills for good.

Honestly, we can’t think of a better way to give back during the holiday season.