When you think of Christmas classics – what comes to mind? Is it Home Alone? How The Grinch Stole Christmas? Christmas With The Kranks? Even if none of those are your favorite Christmas movie, there is a category that – although it resides in the Christmas subheading – gets overlooked every time: Black Christmas movies.
Black people love Christmas movies as much as anyone else and we even put our own spin on the traditional holiday tropes. We have those corny Hallmark-y ones, the hilarious ones with nefarious characters, and the genuinely good ones that you can watch all year.
So as a Christmas-loving woman who has made being Black (and proud) an entire brand, allow me to name my top ten Black Christmas movies for all to enjoy. All are streaming now!
Friday After Next (HBO Max)
After being robbed by Santa, Ice Cube and Mike Epps try to hunt their suspect down while on the clock of their new job as Top Flight Security of the World. The gut-busting duo also end up throwing a party to make rent so expect some crazy comedic cameos to occur before the anticlimactic (but still hysterically funny) ending.
Best Man Holiday (Peacock)
The sequel to the classic romantic comedy, The Best Man, returns with the original cast but a new and heartbreaking story. Get ready to ugly cry during this one.
The Mistletones (Hulu)
This ABC Family original follows Tia Mowry as she plays the daughter of a late singer who formed a holiday song cover group called The Mistletones. Unfortunately, her rival and new Mistletones group leader, played by Tori Spelling, isn't going to make it easy on Mowry, who decides to form her own holiday song cover group.
Baggage Claim (Pluto TV)
After a bad breakup is worsened by an overbearing mother, Paula Patton is an airline attendant who is desperately trying to find someone to get engaged to in order to have a date to her baby sister's wedding. Unfortunately, she learns that her exes are her exes for a reason. But could the guy she's been searching for her whole life be right beside her?
This Christmas (For rent or purchase on Amazon)
Just a feel good Black family Christmas movie, starring Idris Elba. I know the song is already stuck in your head because it's stuck in mine at this very moment.
The Holiday Calendar (Netflix)
Watch Kat Graham and Quincy Jones fall in love all because of an Advent calendar.
Jingle Jangle (Netflix)
Now when I say Netflix SNAPPED with this one I mean it. Think The Nutcracker meets Scrooge meets Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Forest Whitaker plays a betrayed toymaker who takes back everything he is owed with the help of his granddaughter.
Last Holiday (Showtime)
Queen Latifah is a reserved retail salesperson who finds out she's dying and decides to live life to the fullest... with LL Cool J.
Merry Liddle Christmas 1-3 (Lifetime)
Kelly Rowland stars as a woman who introduces her family to her boyfriend in the first movie, invites them to her wedding in the second, and has a baby in the third. It's nothing if not adorable.
A Madea Christmas (TBS)
Just imagine if you had to spend Christmas with Madea's family. HILARIOUS.