O Little Christmas Market is the Hallmark Channel Christmas in July movie premiering Saturday, July 11 at 8/7c and streaming the following day on Hallmark+. The movie stars Katherine Barrell and Stephen Huszar as Olivia and Grayson.
Olivia (Barrell) is a gifted miniature artist who has devoted her heart to the town’s Christmas market, a tradition started by her late father. When a corporate developer plans to tear it down, she risks losing the legacy she holds dear. A chance meeting at a train station with Grayson (Huszar), a talented yet unfulfilled architect, sparks an unexpected connection. Their bond is tested when Olivia learns his firm is behind the buyout.
As Christmas draws near, Olivia rallies the community to save the market after securing a delay to the final decision. Amid the holiday magic, Grayson and Olivia’s romance blossoms despite being on seemingly opposite sides of the deal. Together, they must find a way to merge their dreams and save the market, discovering that in order to endure love – like art – requires taking a leap of faith.
O Little Christmas Market is full of traditional Hallmark tropes and heart. From the classic bump-into-each-other meet-cute to the Christmas market montage and the traditional misunderstanding, this movie delivers on its heart and Christmas vibes. Her beloved property is being sold and rebuilt by the big business where he works. Near kisses and all the things we love about a Hallmark movie.
While this movie doesn’t reinvent the Hallmark genre, it is a great addition to the lineup. Katherine and Stephen have an easy, believable chemistry. We see them genuinely connect over shared desires to build on their dreams: her of the Christmas market becoming sustainable and expanding her art classes, and his of building a new and not the same old model that his father wants. Both want to honor their fathers in this story. Olivia wants to keep her late father’s Christmas market alive and going, and Grayson wants to make his dad, who is his boss, proud.
Katherine Barrell is consistently one to watch. Stephen Huszar is like an old friend at this point with how many movies I have watched him in. They both are in comfort movies for me. Katherine in The Christmas Baby and Good Witch and Stephen in Time for Us to Come Home for Christmas, Ruby Herring Mysteries, and Chesapeake Shores. There is a reason we often see these actors. They do their job exceptionally well. This is the second movie this year for Stephen Huszar. He starred in To Philly With Love earlier this year. Hopefully we will see these two later this year in Countdown to Christmas.
Where this movie shines the brightest is the supporting cast. Paula Boudreau and Kent Sheridan as Olivia’s mom and Grayson’s dad are exactly what you need them to be: the supportive mom and the demanding dad. Ann Pornel as Olivia’s best friend, Zoe, is pure joy and comedy. She’s the one to watch.
O Little Christmas Market is directed by Mars Horodyski and written by Natasha Baron and Ryan Peckinpaugh. This appears to be the first Hallmark foray for Mars and Natasha, but not into the romcom genre. Ryan previously wrote the Hallmark movie A 90s Christmas. Also from A 90s Christmas are producers Bill Marks, Christopher Giroux, and Jesse D. Ikeman. Christopher will direct the next Christmas in July movie, Snowbound for the Holidays, and Bill Marks and Jesse D. Ikeman will also produce Snowbound for the Holidays, which will air July 18th on Hallmark Channel.
Saving the Season and Finding Love in Hallmark Channel’s O Little Christmas Market – Review
