Hanukkah — the Jewish Festival of Lights — is an eight-night celebration marked by lighting the menorah, eating fried foods and playing dreidel. In 2026 it begins at sundown on 5 December. Here's what Hanukkah means and why it lasts eight days.
For exact dates see the Hanukkah holiday page, or explore the Hebrew calendar.
When is Hanukkah 2026?
Hanukkah begins at sundown on 5 December 2026 and runs eight nights, ending 13 December 2026. Because the Jewish day starts at sunset, each night's candle is lit after dark.
The date moves each year on the Gregorian calendar because it's set by the Hebrew calendar — Hanukkah always begins on 25 Kislev, which can fall anywhere from late November to late December.
What is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah (Hebrew for "dedication") commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE, after a small group of Jewish fighters — the Maccabees — reclaimed it from a much larger empire.
It is a joyful but, in religious terms, a minor festival — work is permitted throughout. Its high profile today, especially in the West, owes much to its timing near Christmas.
Why eight days? The miracle of the oil
According to tradition, when the Temple was rededicated, there was only enough consecrated oil to keep the menorah lit for one day — yet it miraculously burned for eight days, until more could be prepared.
That's why Hanukkah lasts eight nights, and why oil is central to its foods.
The menorah (Hanukkiah)
The nine-branched candelabrum has:
- Eight branches — one candle lit each night, building up over the festival.
- One helper candle (the shamash) — used to light the others.
Families place it in a window so the light is seen publicly, and recite blessings each night.
Traditions and foods
- Lighting the menorah — one more candle each night, left to right.
- Fried foods (because of the oil): latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jam-filled doughnuts).
- Dreidel — a spinning top game played for chocolate coins (gelt).
- Gifts — gift-giving has grown more common, especially where Hanukkah sits near Christmas.
Quick answers
When is Hanukkah 2026? It begins at sundown on 5 December 2026 and ends on 13 December — eight nights.
Why is Hanukkah eight days? It commemorates the miracle of a single day's oil lasting eight days when the Temple was rededicated.
What is the menorah? A nine-branched candelabrum: eight for the nights of Hanukkah plus a helper candle (shamash) used to light the rest.
Why does the date of Hanukkah change? It always begins on 25 Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, which shifts relative to the Gregorian calendar each year.