How Many Days Until Hanukkah 2026?

Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, when the first candle of the menorah is lit, and runs eight nights through Saturday, December 12. The Festival of Lights lands three weeks before Christmas this year, kicking off the December holiday season almost a month before the year ends.

Hanukkah 2026 dates, night by night

• First candle: sundown, Friday, December 4
• Second night: December 5, and the third falls on December 6, sharing the date with St. Nicholas Day
• Final candle (eighth night): Friday, December 11
• Last day: Saturday, December 12

A note on the counter above: like all Jewish holidays, Hanukkah begins at sundown the evening before its first full day. The countdown targets December 4, so the candles are actually lit the evening the counter reaches zero.

Why the date moves so much

Hanukkah always starts on the 25th day of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, which is lunisolar: months follow the moon, with a leap month added seven times every nineteen years to stay aligned with the seasons. Translated to the everyday calendar, the first candle can fall anywhere from late November to late December. In 2026 it comes early, on December 4. Some years it collides directly with Christmas, and the whole eight nights occasionally stretch into the new year.

Hanukkah and the Christmas countdown

The two holidays are unrelated in origin, but they share a season, and in millions of interfaith households they share a living room. In 2026 the eighth candle goes out on December 12, with 13 days still left until Christmas. If your December juggles both calendars, our key dates page lays the whole month out, and the December holiday countdown hub tracks every celebration in one place.

Planning ahead? Browse every key Christmas date, use the Christmas planning guides, or watch the live Christmas countdown.