DaysUntilNowHow Many Days Until Hanukkah?
Hanukkah begins at sundown and runs for eight nights
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When exactly is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah is the eight-night Jewish Festival of Lights, commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean revolt in the second century BCE. One candle of the menorah is lit each night, plus the shamash used to light the others.
It begins on 25 Kislev in the Hebrew calendar — but because Hebrew days start at sunset, the first candle is lit the evening before that date, which is why published listings show the day earlier. The Hebrew calendar is lunisolar with leap months, so in the Gregorian calendar Hanukkah drifts anywhere between late November and late December.
Upcoming dates
| Year | Date | Day of week |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | December 4, 2026 | Friday |
| 2027 | December 24, 2027 | Friday |
| 2028 | December 12, 2028 | Tuesday |
| 2029 | December 1, 2029 | Saturday |
| 2030 | December 20, 2030 | Friday |
Frequently asked questions
When is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah begins at sundown and runs for eight nights.
Is Hanukkah the Jewish Christmas?
No. The two fall close together and both involve lights and gifts, but Hanukkah is a minor festival in religious terms — far less significant than Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur or Passover. Its modern prominence in the West owes a good deal to its proximity to Christmas in the calendar.