Ever tried to plan a latke party only to realize you’re a week late? It happens. Figuring out when does Hanukkah start is a bit of a moving target because the Jewish calendar doesn’t play by the same rules as the Gregorian one we use for work and school. While the rest of the world follows the sun, Hanukkah follows the moon.
Actually, it follows both.
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The Festival of Lights officially begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev. In 2025, for example, the first candle is lit on the evening of Sunday, December 14. But if you’re looking ahead to 2026, you’ll need to clear your calendar for the evening of Friday, December 4. It jumps around. A lot. One year it’s overlapping with Thanksgiving—giving us the glorious, once-in-a-lifetime "Thanksgivukkah"—and the next, it’s practically bumping into New Year’s Day.
The Lunar Math Behind the Calendar
Most people think of a year as 365 days. Simple. But the Hebrew calendar is "lunisolar." This means months are based on the phases of the moon, while the overall year tries to stay in sync with the sun. A lunar month is roughly 29.5 days. Multiply that by twelve and you get 354 days.
Notice the problem?
You’re missing 11 days every year. If the Jewish calendar didn't account for this, Hanukkah would eventually drift into the middle of summer. Imagine frying heavy potato pancakes in 90-degree heat. No thanks. To fix this, the calendar adds an entire "leap month" (Adar II) seven times every 19 years. This massive correction is why when does Hanukkah start feels like a riddle; it’s basically the calendar’s way of "resetting" so the holidays stay in their proper seasons.
It Always Starts at Night
Here is the thing that trips up almost everyone: Hanukkah starts in the evening. In Jewish tradition, a day doesn't begin at midnight. It begins at sundown. If you see a calendar that says Hanukkah is on December 15, that actually means the first "day" is the 15th, but the party—and the first candle lighting—actually happens on the night of the 14th.
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You’ve got to be ready before the sun goes down.
Once those stars appear, the holiday is live. This timing is rooted in the Genesis creation story—"there was evening and there was morning, one day." Evening comes first. Always. This makes Hanukkah unique among winter holidays because the "eve" isn't just a warm-up; it's the main event. Every night for eight nights, you add one more light to the menorah (or hanukkiah, if we're being precise) until the whole window is glowing.
Why the 25th of Kislev Matters
The date isn't arbitrary. It’s historical. Or at least, it’s rooted in a very specific historical victory. Back in the second century BCE, the Maccabees—a small group of Jewish rebels—fought against the Seleucid Empire. The Greeks had desecrated the Second Temple in Jerusalem and banned Jewish practices.
The Maccabees won.
When they went to rededicate the Temple, they found only enough ritually pure oil to last for one day. Miraculously, it lasted for eight. The word "Hanukkah" literally translates to "dedication." Starting the celebration on the 25th of Kislev commemorates the exact day the Temple was reclaimed. Even though the year on our wall changes, the 25th of Kislev remains the fixed anchor for the Jewish people.
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The Logistics of Lighting
If you're hosting, you need to know the specific flow. It’s not just "light a candle and eat." There’s a geometry to it.
On the first night, you place one candle on the far right. You use a helper candle, called the shamash, to light it. On the second night, you add a new candle to the left of the first one, but—and this is the part that confuses everyone—you light the newest one first. You move from left to right. It’s a way of showing that the newest miracle, or the growing light, is the priority.
Don't use the candles for anything else. You aren't supposed to read by their light or use them to light a cigarette. They are "holy" in the sense that they exist only to be looked at and to publicize the miracle (pirsum ha-nes). This is why people put their menorahs in the window. It's a public broadcast of resilience.
Misconceptions About the "Jewish Christmas"
Let’s be honest. Because of when Hanukkah starts—usually in December—it gets lumped in with Christmas. People call it the "Jewish Christmas." But religiously speaking, it's actually a "minor" holiday. Unlike Passover or Rosh Hashanah, there are no scriptural prohibitions against working. You can drive your car, go to the office, and answer emails.
The "major" feel of Hanukkah is mostly a modern, North American phenomenon. Because it falls during the "holiday season," it evolved to include gift-giving so Jewish kids wouldn't feel left out of the December craze. Historically, the traditional gift was just gelt—small amounts of money or chocolate coins.
What to Eat (It’s All About the Oil)
If you’re wondering when to start your diet, it’s definitely not during Hanukkah. The food is the best part, but it's intentionally greasy. We eat fried foods to remember the oil that lasted eight days.
- Latkes: Crispy potato pancakes. Some people like applesauce; others swear by sour cream. It’s a fierce debate.
- Sufganiyot: Deep-fried jelly donuts dusted with powdered sugar. In Israel, these are everywhere, and the flavors get wild—salted caramel, pistachio, you name it.
- Brisket: Often the centerpiece of the dinner table, slow-cooked until it falls apart.
Preparing for the Festival
To get ready for when the holiday begins, you need more than just a calendar. You need 44 candles. That’s the total number used over eight nights if you’re lighting one menorah.
- Check the sunset times: Since Hanukkah starts at sundown, the "start time" changes by a few minutes every day depending on where you live.
- Stock up early: Oil, potatoes, and candles sell out at specialty markets about two weeks before the 25th of Kislev.
- Friday Night Rules: If the first night (or any night) falls on a Friday, you have to light the Hanukkah candles before the Shabbat candles. Hanukkah lights go first because once you light the Shabbat candles, you’ve officially started the day of rest and can't strike a match.
Looking Ahead: Future Hanukkah Dates
Knowing when does Hanukkah start helps with travel and family gatherings. Here is the schedule for the next few years to keep you ahead of the curve:
- 2025: Sunday, December 14 (First candle lit that night)
- 2026: Friday, December 4
- 2027: Saturday, December 25 (A rare Christmas/Hanukkah overlap)
- 2028: Tuesday, December 12
It’s always a good idea to double-check a Jewish calendar specifically. Most standard digital calendars (like Google or Outlook) have an option to "Add Holidays," which will automatically sync these lunar shifts to your schedule.
Actionable Steps for the Festival
If you are planning to observe or join a celebration, start your prep about ten days before the first candle. Buy your candles in bulk—nothing is worse than reaching night seven and realizing you’re two candles short. If you’re making latkes from scratch, grate the potatoes and squeeze out every drop of moisture using a cheesecloth; that's the secret to the crunch. Finally, remember that the holiday is about the "publicizing of the miracle," so find a safe spot in a street-facing window for your menorah to share the light with the neighborhood.