I have to admit, it’s 3:30 in the morning as I sit down to write this. I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to rewatch Oh Little Christmas Market. The first time around, I kept stopping to ask myself what I was watching—and more importantly, why I was watching it.
Diabolical? Maybe.
It’s entirely possible I’m just grumpy. But it’s also possible this is a movie that had good intentions and completely missed the mark.
I get it—it’s Christmas in July. We’re halfway to the holidays, and there’s something comforting about leaning into a little festive cheer.
I’ll also be the first to admit that I’m a bit of a Grinch. I desperately need something to reignite my holiday spirit.
Growing up, I spent a lot of time in Europe, and Christmas markets were one of my favorite traditions. They felt magical. Wandering through the stalls, drinking hot chocolate, and soaking in the atmosphere filled me with joy and reminded me why I loved the season.
Unfortunately, Oh Little Christmas Market never captured that feeling.
On paper, the premise is promising. Olivia, a talented miniature artist, is determined to save the beloved Christmas market her late father founded when a developer threatens to replace it. Along the way, she falls for Grayson, an architect who just happens to work for the firm behind the project. It’s a classic holiday romance built around clashing priorities, small-town charm, and the hope that love can change everything.
And honestly? It should work.
I also have to give credit where it’s due. Katherine Barrell (The Christmas Baby) and Stephen Huszar (To Philly with Love) are both immensely talented performers. They’re the kind of actors who have proven they can carry heartfelt holiday romances, which makes it all the more disappointing that this film never quite rises to meet its potential.
The biggest issue with Oh Little Christmas Market comes down to two things: the lack of chemistry between the leads and the film’s inability to capture the magic that makes Christmas markets so special.
A great Christmas market isn’t just a backdrop. It’s the heart of a community. It’s where traditions are born, memories are made, and complete strangers can get swept up in the joy of the season. This movie never taps into that feeling.
I had high hopes for Katherine Barrell and Stephen Huszar because they’re both talented actors. Their meet-cute is genuinely charming. Stranded at a train station, decorating a Christmas tree together, then leaving without saying goodbye? That’s the kind of setup holiday romances thrive on.
Unfortunately, that’s where the spark ends.
When Grayson arrives in Olivia’s town to finalize the purchase of the land beneath the Christmas market, there should be immediate tension. Instead, every interaction feels oddly flat. They come across more like future best friends—or even siblings—than two people falling in love.
Grayson’s motivations don’t help. The film tells us he wants to modernize the family business and forge his own path, but his growing investment in saving the market never feels earned. His decisions seem dictated by the plot rather than by genuine emotional stakes, making his arc feel more like obligation than growth.
Olivia’s story suffers from the same problem. Her miniature artwork is visually charming, but it never becomes emotionally meaningful. The film presents it as an important part of who she is without ever exploring why she creates miniature art or what it represents to her. Instead, it feels like a side plot included to give her a creative hobby rather than deepen her character.
For a film centered on an artist, I kept waiting to understand what inspired Olivia’s work or what it meant to her. That connection never came, leaving one of the movie’s defining character traits feeling surprisingly hollow.
The one storyline that consistently worked for me was the relationship both Grayson and Olivia had with their fathers. Their journeys were rooted in legacy—what to preserve, what to let go of, and how to honor the people who shaped them without losing themselves in the process.
Both characters are trying to build lives of their own while still seeking their fathers’ approval in different ways. That’s where the movie felt the most genuine, and I found myself wishing it had leaned into that emotional conflict more than the romance.
Ultimately, Oh Little Christmas Market tries to capture the warmth and magic of the holiday season. It just never got there for me. I struggled to connect with the story, and yes—I watched it twice. Don’t ask why. Sometimes we all make questionable decisions.
