Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday that falls in December every year, but the dates change on a year-to-year basis. This is because Hanukkah’s dates are based on the Jewish calendar, not the Gregorian calendar that we use to mark Christmas.
In 2024, the beginning of Hanukkah fell on Christmas Day. This year, Hanukkah began earlier, on the second Sunday of December, and will end before Christmas. The celebration is marked by the lighting of candles for each of the eight days, each symbolizing something different.
Here’s when Hanukkah 2025 began and ends, why and how the holiday is observed and when Hanukkah will fall in 2026.
When do you light the first candle for Hanukkah? When Hanukkah 2025 begins, ends
Hanukkah 2025 started at sunset on Sunday, Dec. 14 and ends at sunset on Monday, Dec. 22, according to chabad.org. The time to light the first candle for Hanukkah 2025 was at sunset on Sunday, Dec. 14.
In 2024, Hanukkah began on Christmas Day and ended right after New Year’s Day, running from Wednesday, Dec. 25, through Thursday, Jan. 2.
When will Hanukkah fall in 2026?
The holiday will be even earlier in 2026, falling from Dec. 4-12.
Why is Hanukkah never on the same day?
The date for Hanukkah is based on the Hebrew calendar, which is different than the Gregorian calendar. It falls on the same date in the Hebrew calendar, the 25th of Kislev.
Also called the Jewish calendar, the Hebrew calendar is based on the moon, with a “leap” month added when needed.
What is Hanukkah and how is it celebrated?
Hanukkah, also spelled Chanukah — which means dedication — is an eight-day Jewish festival that marks “the miraculous victory of the Maccabees, Jewish freedom fighters, over the Seleucidian Greek occupiers in the year 139 BCE,” chabad.org says.
“After recapturing Jerusalem’s Holy Temple, which had been converted into a place of idol worship, they searched for pure oil with which to light the Temple menorah. They found just enough to burn for one day, but miraculously it burned for eight days until more oil could be brought.”
On each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, a candle is lit on a menorah. Each candle has a different meaning, according to rabbibarbara.com:
To commemorate the miracle, which involved oil, oily foods are enjoyed during the holiday. It’s also customary to play with a dreidel, a four-sided top.
Are gifts given on Hanukkah?
“In today’s consumer-driven society, people tend to place great importance on giving Chanukah gifts,” chabad.org said.
“However, the tradition is actually to give Chanukah gelt, gifts of money, to children. In addition to rewarding positive behavior and devotion to Torah study, the cash gifts give the children the opportunity to give tzedakah (charity).”
Florida events planned to celebrate Hanukkah 2025
Some Florida communities plan special celebrations for Hanukkah.
Check your city for any events not listed here. Here are a few that are yet to come, as of Dec. 15:
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: When do you light the first candle for Hanukkah? What to know in Florida
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud and Lianna Norman, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
