Every year, the holidays come with the same familiar movies — but 2025 has quietly delivered a really solid lineup of Christmas films led by Black talent. These stories aren’t trying to reinvent the holiday wheel. They’re just honest about what the season can look like: joyful, awkward, emotional, romantic, loud, and sometimes a little messy. If you’re looking for something new to throw on this year, here are ten Black-led Christmas films released this season that are worth your time.
Christmas Everyday
Christmas Everyday is one of those holiday movies that understands the season isn’t always light and cheerful. Brandy Norwood stars as a woman doing her best to keep her family together while holding onto the memory of her late father. It’s warm, emotional, and very grounded — the kind of movie that reminds you it’s okay if the holidays feel complicated. You can catch it on Lifetime during their holiday programming.
Finding Joy
Finding Joy is about slowing down — something a lot of us could probably use around this time of year. The film follows a driven woman whose Christmas plans shift into something quieter and more meaningful. It’s romantic, reflective, and more about emotional clarity than big holiday spectacle. The movie is streaming on Prime Video.
Vera’s Holiday Flop
If your holiday plans usually come with drama, Vera’s Holiday Flop will feel very familiar. Built around a high school reunion gone completely left, the film leans into chaos, humor, and uncomfortable run-ins with people from your past. It’s funny, messy, and doesn’t pretend holidays are always peaceful. You can stream it on BET+.
Never Alone for Christmas: Memphis
Set in Memphis, this sequel brings music, faith, and community to the forefront. Never Alone for Christmas: Memphisis really about connection — the kind that sneaks up on you when you least expect it. It’s soulful, warm, and perfect if you want something that feels rooted in culture and heart. The film is available on BET+.
Fake Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Holiday pressure is real, and Fake Yourself a Merry Little Christmas leans right into it. When a fake relationship starts to feel a little too real, the film explores loneliness, vulnerability, and the things people do just to get through the season. It’s soft, romantic, and very relatable. You can watch it on OWN.
The Christmas Showdown
The Christmas Showdown adds a little competition to the holidays. Festive rivalries drive the story, but at its core, the film is really about pride, tradition, and learning when to let things go. It’s light, fun, and easy to watch with family. The movie airs on OWN.
Very Merry Mystery
If you want something different from the usual holiday formula, Very Merry Mystery mixes Christmas cheer with a whodunit. It’s playful, slightly suspenseful, and proof that holiday movies don’t have to be predictable to be enjoyable. This one also airs on OWN.
Christmas By Design
Christmas By Design brings creativity and romance together during the holidays. When work, love, and personal dreams start colliding, the film asks what it really means to build something meaningful. It’s aspirational without feeling unrealistic. You can stream it on BET+.
Son of the Preacher
Son of the Preacher centers faith, family expectations, and identity — especially during a season that already comes with pressure. It’s about figuring out who you are while honoring where you come from, which feels especially fitting around Christmas. The film is streaming on BET+.
Love After Holidays
Not every love story happens during Christmas Day — and Love After Holidays embraces that. Focused on healing and new beginnings, the film reminds us that love doesn’t always show up on a perfect timeline. It’s calm, grown, and quietly hopeful. You can watch it on BET+.
Altogether, these films show how Black holiday storytelling keeps expanding — not by being louder, but by being more honest. Whether you’re in the mood for laughs, romance, faith-centered stories, or something a little messy, this year’s lineup gives you options.
— REAVES // @wildreaves