Hanukkah, also spelled Chanukah, is the Jewish Festival of Lights, celebrated for eight nights and days beginning on the 25th of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, which typically falls in November or December. The holiday commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century BCE, after a small band of Jewish fighters known as the Maccabees reclaimed the temple from Seleucid Greek occupiers. According to the Talmud, a single day's supply of consecrated oil miraculously burned for eight days in the temple's menorah. The central ritual of Hanukkah is the nightly lighting of the hanukkiah (a nine-branched candelabrum), with one additional candle lit each evening using the shamash (helper candle). Families gather to recite blessings, sing traditional songs like 'Ma'oz Tzur' (Rock of Ages), and exchange gifts. Children play with the dreidel, a four-sided spinning top inscribed with Hebrew letters standing for 'A great miracle happened there.' Hanukkah gelt — chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil — is a beloved treat. Traditional Hanukkah foods are fried in oil to honor the miracle, with latkes (crispy potato pancakes served with applesauce or sour cream) and sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts) being the most popular. Hanukkah celebrations have become increasingly prominent in countries with large Jewish communities, particularly in the United States and Israel. Public menorah lightings in city squares and cultural events help share the holiday's message of religious freedom, perseverance, and the triumph of light over darkness.
Hanukkah 2026 falls on Saturday, 5 December 2026. Hanukkah, also spelled Chanukah, is the Jewish Festival of Lights, celebrated for eight nights and days beginning on the 25th of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, which typically falls in November or December.
There are 21 days (3 weeks, or about 21 days) until Hanukkah. That is approximately 492 hours or 29,546 minutes from now. Use our date calculator to find the exact duration between any two dates.
There are 3 weeks until Hanukkah on Saturday, 5 December 2026. That falls in week 49 of the year. Use our live countdown timer above for a real-time count including hours, minutes, and seconds.