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.
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:
RELATED: 12 Iconic Christmas Cartoons Your Kids Should See During The Holidays
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)
2. The Kid Who Loved Christmas (1990)
3. Almost Christmas (2016)
4. The Fat Albert Christmas Special (1977)
5. The Best Man Holiday (2013)
6. A Dream for Christmas (1973)
9. Friday After Next (2002)
11. A Madea Christmas (2013)
13. The Perfect Holiday (2007)
14. This Christmas (2007)
15. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)
16. Christmas Everlasting (2018)
17. A Diva’s Christmas Carol (2000)
19. Kirk Franklin’s A Gospel Christmas (2021)
20. Miracle In Motor City (2021)
22. Christmas In Compton (2012)
23. A Naija Christmas (2021)
24. TIE: ‘A Royal Family Holiday’ (2015) & ‘A Royal Family Christmas’ (2015)
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.