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Happy holidays, BAW family!
With the spirit of the season at hand comes longstanding traditions, and one of the most beloved pastimes that families generally share during Christmas time is watching a slew of holiday-themed movies together.
RELATED STORY: 25 Best Black Christmas Albums Of All Time
Of course, there’s also the shared love of shopping — check out these last-minute gift suggestions if you’re still making rounds! — which you might be able to help us out with by answering a question we recently posted over on Instagram:
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Getting back to Christmas movies though, we especially love the ones made with Black people in mind and in the starring roles. Shared holiday disasters, relatable jokes that only make sense to the culture and a soulful music soundtrack that ties it all together are just a handful of key elements that make Black Christmas films feel so special. It’s for those reasons, in addition to the holiday cheer getting the best of us over here, that we felt it was only right to highlight the best of the bunch.
When considering a good Black film for the holidays, many think about the aforementioned checkpoints alongside other key factors. Is the comedic timing there? Does the chemistry between characters feel genuine? Does the inevitable cover of “This Christmas” even come close to making Donny Hathaway proud?
Ask yourself those questions while scrolling through the list below and let us know if you think Black Santa would agree. From classics released in the ’70s, unmistakeable gems from the ’90s Golden Era and even a few recent fan-favorites released just last year, we’re sure you’ll spot more than a few cultural classics that will definitely be on your Christmas movie playlist for years to come.
Take a look below at 25 of the best Black Christmas films of all-time:
1. The Preacher’s Wife (1996)
Whitney or Denzel alone could’ve made this movie a blockbuster hit based on their individual star power. However, as a duo they delivered an onscreen chemistry that made The Preacher’s Wife an instant Christmas classic, not to mention a heavenly soundtrack to boot that only The Voice could deliver.
2. The Kid Who Loved Christmas (1990)
While more on the cult classic side of holiday films, The Kid Who Loved Christmas made an impact due to the joint Black star power of the cast. Actually, this ended up being the late Sammy Davis Jr.’s final performance to air posthumously during the holiday season following his death in May 1990.
3. Almost Christmas (2016)
This is hands-down the go-to when you want the whole family laughing — Mo’Nique and J. B. Smoove are hilarious!
4. The Fat Albert Christmas Special (1977)
The only thing that would’ve made this ’70s cartoon classic even better is if it was longer than 30 minutes, or at the very least extended into two episodes!
5. The Best Man Holiday (2013)
Turning the highly-anticipated sequel of a non-holiday film into a Christmas-themed movie was a bold move in itself. However, it gave more dimension to a set of beloved Black characters that was explored even further almost a decade later in The Best Man: The Final Chapters. Translation: give us more!
6. A Dream for Christmas (1973)
Truly a heartwarming tale that proves the Christmas spirit comes in various forms, especially when it comes to the strength of family.
7. Black Nativity (2013)
While you might expect a sequel for Belly to bring Nas and Mary J. Blige together on film faster than a Christmas musical — still could happen, Hype! — the latter is surprisingly what history chose to give us. Thankfully, an ensemble cast paired with a story that pays respect to the original work of Langston Hughes made this a winning adaptation.
8. Last Holiday (2006)
Aside from delivering a good message overall, it was great to see Queen Latifah diversifying the leading lady role and showing that women of all shapes and races are beautiful at the forefront of a rom-com.
9. Friday After Next (2002)
Easily the most ratchet Christmas film you’ll ever see, it’s also one of the most entertaining as well and for many was an introduction to the incomparable Katt Williams.
10. Holiday Heart (2000)
Taking a more darker route from what you’d expect in a Christmas film, the theme of Holiday Heart spoke towards a deeper message of acceptance, empathy and the true meaning of unconditional love.
11. A Madea Christmas (2013)
Any chance we get to see Madea on the big screen is a treat in itself, and Christmas proved to be no different.
12. Ms. Scrooge (1997)
The switch-up from Ebenezer to “Ebenita” was clever on its own, but the emotional performance by the late Cicely Tyson is what stands out above all.
13. The Perfect Holiday (2007)
Although comprised of a cast you’ve seen many times over in the world of Black Christmas films, The Perfect Holiday holds a soft place in the hearts of many due to core family values at the root of the plot.
14. This Christmas (2007)
Although most people saw This Christmas strictly to catch Chris Brown singing the title song, performances from Hollywood A-listers like Regina King, Delroy Lindo and Loretta Divine all helped to make it a seasonal staple.
15. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)
It was so heartwarming to see a recent holiday film that felt big-budget, beautiful and most importantly Black in nature.
16. Christmas Everlasting (2018)
If there’s one thing Hallmark Channel is good for, it’s a good holiday movie! Adding the queen Patti LaBelle into the mix made it all the more better.
17. A Diva’s Christmas Carol (2000)
We have to give props to the music in this film — Vanessa filled the soundtrack with hits!
18. Soul Santa (2021)
The Manns took a step back from playing their signature father/daughter duo of Leroy and Cora in order to play roles that actually reflect their real-life relationship as husband and wife. Hopefully we get to see more of them as a couple!
19. Kirk Franklin’s A Gospel Christmas (2021)
If the Black love story at the center of the film doesn’t reel you in, the music heard from start to finish will surely have you hitting rewind.
20. Miracle In Motor City (2021)
Although some might consider it lazy to play yourself in a film, we’ve got to give the legend Smokey Robinson a pass for bringing that Motown magic to the role.
21. Holiday Rush (2019)
The depiction of a Black father making holiday miracles happen for his family is the core of what makes this film a great watch.
22. Christmas In Compton (2012)
If your family is full of jokesters, try popping this film in for some holiday viewing pleasure.
23. A Naija Christmas (2021)
Even though things might look a little different from how it’s done here in America, one great takeaway from A Naija Christmas is that we all just want to make our parents happy during the holidays.
24. TIE: ‘A Royal Family Holiday’ (2015) & ‘A Royal Family Christmas’ (2015)
Given the fact that both films were released just two weeks apart, it was only right to give this two-part holiday tale equal amounts of love.
25. HONORABLE MENTION: ‘The Wiz’ (1978)
Although it’s a Christmas tradition to view in many Black households, The Wiz actually takes place during Thanksgiving!
Still a holiday classic nonetheless.
