When Is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4 — in 29 days — and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12. It is always 25 Kislev in the Hebrew calendar.
Updated · By the YearlyCalendar.org team
Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, lasts eight days and nights and recalls the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Maccabees in the 2nd century BCE. One more candle is lit on the menorah each night.
December 2026 calendar
The calendar marks the first full day of Hanukkah, Saturday, December 5, 2026; it begins at sundown the evening before.
- Federal holiday / day off
- Observance
- Weekend
December 2026 – Hanukkah 2026
| Wk | SundaySun | MondayMon | TuesdayTue | WednesdayWed | ThursdayThu | FridayFri | SaturdaySat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5Hanukkah (first day) | ||
| 50 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 51 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 52 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24Christmas Eve | 25Christmas Day | 26 |
| 53 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31New Year's Eve |
Hanukkah dates 2020–2040
Between 2020 and 2040, Hanukkah has its first full day as early as November 28 (2032) and as late as December 26 (2024, 2035).
The story
After the Maccabees' revolt against the Seleucid king Antiochus IV, the Temple was rededicated in the 2nd century BCE (traditionally dated 164 BCE). According to the Talmud, the one jar of pure oil they found lasted eight days, which is why Hanukkah has eight nights.
How the date is set
Hanukkah begins on 25 Kislev; the first candle is lit on the evening before the first full day. The first day falls between November 28 and December 27 this century and never on a Tuesday.
Hanukkah, Christmas and Thanksgiving
Christmas Day falls during Hanukkah, or on the night the first candle is lit, in 2027, 2030, 2035 and 2038. In 2013 the first full day of Hanukkah fell on Thanksgiving (“Thanksgivukkah”); next, in 2070, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Thanksgiving Day.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
When is Hanukkah 2027?
Hanukkah 2027 begins at sundown on Friday, December 24, 2027 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, January 1, 2028.
How do you spell Hanukkah?
Hanukkah and Chanukah are the most common English spellings of the Hebrew word, which means “dedication”.
Why does the Hanukkah menorah have nine branches?
Eight hold the candles for the eight nights; the ninth holds the shamash, the “helper” candle used to light the others.