Who doesn’t love a good Christmas movie? The holiday season is a time of joy, togetherness, and the magic of cinema. There is a vibrant and diverse world of Black Christmas movies that deserves recognition and celebration. This collection of captivating films beautifully captures the essence of the holiday season while showcasing Black talent, stories, and culture. From timeless old Black Christmas movies to the newest holiday delights, this is the definitive guide to the best Black Christmas movies of all time.

This Christmas

Possibly the definitive Black Christmas movie, This Christmas is the story of a family returning home for their first Christmas together in four years. Family matriarch Shirley Ann “Ma’Dere” has to try and keep it all together as her six kids and their partners clash. The drama, laughter, and tears will see you revisiting this movie year after year.  

Starring: Loretta Devine, Idris Elba, Regina King, Sharon Leal, Columbus Short, Lauren London, Chris Brown

Where to Watch: Hulu

Almost Christmas

This poignant tale of a father trying to keep Christmas and his family together after the death of his wife is full of heart– and humor, even in the face of a family tragedy. Anybody who’s ever tried to get four adult siblings in the same room will appreciate this family’s experience. It’s an emotional look at some of the challenges around the holiday season, and a reminder of why all those challenges are worth it.

Starring: Danny Glover, Omar Epps, Mo’Nique, Kimberly Elise, Gabrielle Union

Where to Watch: Hulu, Apple TV

Friday After Next

Yes, the third installment in Ice Cube’s Friday series is a Christmas movie! Granted, it doesn’t exactly celebrate the spirit of giving or the heartwarming family vibes that many of the others on this list do… but when your movie puts Rickey Smiley in a Santa suit, it’s a Christmas movie no matter what it’s really about! This year, Santa has been taking, not giving, and cousins Craig and Day-Day have to track him down to get their rent money back.

Starring: Ice Cube, Mike Epps, John Witherspoon, Katt Williams, Don Curry

Where to Watch: Max, Amazon Prime

Jingle Jangle: A Holiday Journey

This Christmas comedy is a surefire hit for families. It’s a whimsical, original tale about an inventor whose most beloved invention is stolen by his apprentice. He has to team up with his granddaughter to get his invention back, as well as to bring holiday magic back to the town. It’s a cute story with original songs, great production values, and wonderful acting from a star-studded cast. The story is fun for kids and adults, and this movie is destined to become a Christmas classic.

Starring: Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key, Madalen Mills

Where to Watch: Netflix

Last Holiday

Queen Latifah steals the show in Last Holiday, a modern take on a 1950s classic. The movie tells the story of a department store employee attempting to live her life to the fullest after a terminal diagnosis. Thinking she only has weeks to live, she decides to take the European vacation of her dreams– and touches the hearts and spirits of everyone she meets along the way. A bighearted romcom, the relationship between Queen Latifah’s character and her love interest (played by LL Cool J) is touching– you’ll be rooting for both of them.

Starring: Queen Latifah, LL Cool J

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Pluto TV

Our Christmas Journey

There’s no one way for a family to look, and in Our Christmas Journey, Hallmark presents the first Christmas movie to include a main character on the autism spectrum. In this heartfelt tale, single mom Lena goes on an emotional journey as her teenage son is able to develop his independence through attending a program for people with cognitive disabilities. It’s a story about the importance of family and letting people grow, and will tug at your heartstrings this Christmas.

Starring: Holly Robinson Peete, Nik Sanchez

Where to Watch: Hallmark Movies Now, the Roku Channel

The Best Man Holiday

Sometimes your friends are your family, and that’s an important message in this Black Christmas movie. The sequel to The Best Man reunites the original cast and tells the story of a group of friends reunited after 15 years. It deals with many of the issues that can plague a tight friend group, like hard medical diagnoses and infidelity, to name a couple. As secrets come to light and old flames reignite, The Best Man Holiday is an unexpected take on the holiday season.

Starring: Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Harold Perrineau, Monica Calhoun, Melissa De Sousa

Where to Watch: Peacock, the Roku Channel

The Christmas Lottery

The holidays can be a stressful time, and this comedy asks “what if we made this stressful time even MORE stressful with cash?” In The Christmas Lottery, a family wins the lottery… and then promptly loses the winning ticket. They have to scramble to work together and get over their differences if they want to collect

Starring: Reginald VelJohnson, Asia’h Epperson, Brave Williams

Where to Watch: Amazon, the Roku Channel, BET+

The Kid Who Loved Christmas

One of the classic Black family Christmas Movies, this charming 90s classic is a timeless, sentimental story of an adoptive family trying to stay together during Christmas. The story begins with tragic circumstances trying to tear a loving adoptive family apart– can a Christmas miracle help them stay together? For Black cinema buffs, this film was the final appearance of Sammy Davis Jr., and an early production effort from Eddie Murphy.

Starring: Sammy Davis Jr., Cicely Tyson, Michael Warren, Gilbert Lewis, Charlie Murphy, Vanessa Williams

Where to Watch: YouTube

The Preacher’s Wife

This Christmas romance features an angel named Dudley attempting to work a Christmas miracle for a pastor to revitalize his congregation and his failing marriage. During his time on Earth, Dudley begins to fall for the pastor’s wife himself! This film’s soundtrack went triple-platinum and became the best-selling gospel album of all time.

Starring: Denzel Washington, Courtney B. Vance, Whitney Houston

Where to Watch: Disney+, Amazon Prime, the Roku channel

A BlackOakTV Christmas

Meaningful representation and authentic Black stories are important. You can celebrate Black filmmaking year-round at BlackOakTV, a video streaming service featuring a curated section of Black content, including  films, TV shows, and original series. Check out our blog for more articles about the best Black media content out there!