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ALL THE BEST (& DELIGHTFULLY CORNY) BLACK HOLIDAY MOVIES ON STREAMING

Holiday season is here—the annual stretch when we allow ourselves to believe in things like Christmas miracles, small-town bakeries that are somehow recession-proof, and the gravitational pull of a man in a Henley who owns exactly one scarf. And nobody does this brand of joyful, slightly chaotic seasonal cinema like Black folks.


Black holiday movies are their own special subgenre: part family reunion, part fantasy. They’re warm, melodramatic, sometimes unhinged, occasionally profound, and always—always—fun.


So, grab a blanket. Pick a mug. This is your December watchlist.



Streaming on: Netflix



Every year at Christmas, Jackie (Brandy) sends a cocky newsletter to her friend Charlotte (Heather Graham) boasting about how good her life is. But when a twist of fate lands Charlotte and her family on Jackie's snowy doorstep just days before Christmas, she seizes the opportunity to prove her old friend's life can't possibly be as good as it looks on paper.


Streaming on: Hulu, Peacock



The old gang—Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, Morris Chestnut, Regina Hall, Nia Long, among others—reunite for the holidays, bringing unresolved feelings, messy history, and a few romantic entanglements with them. Between the banter, nostalgia, and everyone looking unfairly good in winter coats, the film blends comedy, love, and grown-people drama just in time to remind you that nobody does dramatic tension like a friend group with a ten-year backlog of secrets.


Streaming on: Prime



Two best friends falling for the same man—what could go wrong? Plenty. Raven Goodwin and DomiNQue Perry play besties whose holiday season gets messy when the new pastor in town turns out to be everyone’s type. A warm, friendship-first holiday story about chosen family and keeping your favorite people close, even when the mistletoe complicates things.


Streaming on: Hallmark+



Tamera Mowry-Housley plays a woman who steps through a carousel and lands back in time — right at the moment she needed a do-over. With a second chance at romance, career choices, and holiday magic, she has to decide what she truly wants before time switches back. Soft, sweet, and full of “what if?” charm.


Streaming on: Disney+, Hulu



Sloane Spencer (Christina Milian) is a hotshot publicist who thinks she has her life—and her love life—perfectly under control. Then her recently deceased, very dramatic client appears as a Christmas ghost determined to fix all the mistakes Sloane keeps pretending she’s not making. What follows is a holiday crash course in exes, choices, second chances, and the kind of romance you only realize you want when a ghost drags you into your own past, present, and future.


Streaming on: Apple TV



After a down-on-her-luck singer (Amber Riley) makes a Christmas wish, she suddenly finds doors opening, opportunities calling, and a potential love interest appearing right on time. But with new chances come new complications—and she has to decide what she’s willing to leap toward before the magic runs out. A sparkly, musical, feel-good watch.


Streaming on: Tubi


Ashanti plays a musician who befriends a grieving widower during the holidays, and the two help each other rediscover joy—both in life and in connection. It’s gentle, quiet, and centered on emotional second chances, with a soft romantic underline that makes it perfect for a slower December night.


Streaming on: Netflix



Kat Graham stars as a photographer who inherits a mysterious advent calendar that seems to predict her future—including her love life. Each door opens a new clue, a new surprise, and a new reason to rethink what (and who) she really wants. It’s whimsical, romantic, and tailor-made for anyone who loves just a hint of destiny.


Streaming on: Disney+, Hulu



Queen Latifah plays Georgia, a reserved woman who, after receiving some bad news, decides to stop waiting for “someday” and take the trip of her dreams—right during the holidays. In the middle of luxury spa treatments, fabulous meals, and newfound confidence, she also finds the possibility of romance. It’s uplifting, warm, and one of the most charming comfort watches of the season.


Streaming on: Netflix



Christina Milian (the current reigning Princess of Chirstmas) plays Layla, a young woman running around New York City to get tickets to a sold-out Pentatonix concert in hopes of reconnecting with James, a man she met a year prior. Enter: Teddy (played by Devale Ellis) who volunteers to help her. Because this is a rom-com and no love story is without drama, the trio ends up in a love triangle. James likes Layla, Teddy likes Layla, and Layla likes… who again? Watch and find out.


Streaming on: Netflix



Kelly Rowland stars as Jacquie Liddle, an entrepreneur whose holidays spiral the moment her very loud, very lovable family shows up at her house. Across three movies, Jacquie tries to juggle romance, work, house disasters, and relatives who've never met a boundary they respected. Along the way, she finds love, builds a life, and learns that sometimes the perfect holiday is the one you absolutely didn’t plan.


Streaming on: Prime



When an ambitious reporter (Amber Stevens West) starts investigating a charming philanthropist who hands out gifts every Christmas, she’s determined to prove there’s more to his generosity than holiday spirit. But as she digs deeper, she ends up wrapped in his world of surprises, snow-dusted gestures, and very unexpected chemistry. It’s sweet, a little mysterious, and exactly the kind of movie that makes you wonder if magic might actually be a thing.


Streaming on: Netflix



Sienna (Tia Mowry) is gearing up to be honored at Atlanta’s Tinsel Ball when Lawrence, a charming CEO and new event co-sponsor, suddenly sweeps in. Their chemistry is instant—much to the concern of Sienna’s mother, who runs the Ball and hates surprises. But once Sienna and Lawrence are paired as dance partners, resisting each other becomes the real Christmas challenge.


Streaming on: Prime



Heather (Tatyana Ali) is a mall manager tasked with shutting down underperforming stores—a mission that already feels Grinchy—when she meets Ryan, a nephew determined to save his aunt’s shop from ending up on her list. What begins as a sneaky plan to win her over slowly becomes something real, with the two of them falling into holiday traditions, cozy moments, and trouble-level chemistry.



The beauty of this season is that it gives us dozens of excuses to stay inside and let fictional people make terrible, funny, romantic decisions on our behalf. So go ahead: put on something cozy, pour whatever counts as your “holiday drink,” and let these movies convince you that anything can happen before New Year’s.


 
 
 

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