Date & Time · Jewish holidays
Hanukkah dates by year.
Pick a year from 2026 to 2035 to see the evening the first candle is lit, the last day, and which night falls on which date.
Short answer: Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12. Hanukkah 2027 begins on the evening of December 24.
How the Hanukkah date is set
Hanukkah is eight nights long and starts on the 25th day of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar. Hebcal notes that this can land anywhere from late November to late December on the Gregorian calendar, which is why the date jumps around from one year to the next. A Hebrew day runs from sundown to sundown, so the first candle is lit on the evening before the 25th. For 2026 that means Friday, December 4, even though 25 Kislev 5787 is Saturday, December 5.
Hanukkah dates, 2026 to 2035
| Year | First candle (evening) | Last day (to nightfall) | 25 Kislev (daytime) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday 2026-12-04 | Saturday 2026-12-12 | 2026-12-05 |
| 2027 | Friday 2027-12-24 | Saturday 2028-01-01 | 2027-12-25 |
| 2028 | Tuesday 2028-12-12 | Wednesday 2028-12-20 | 2028-12-13 |
| 2029 | Saturday 2029-12-01 | Sunday 2029-12-09 | 2029-12-02 |
| 2030 | Friday 2030-12-20 | Saturday 2030-12-28 | 2030-12-21 |
| 2031 | Tuesday 2031-12-09 | Wednesday 2031-12-17 | 2031-12-10 |
| 2032 | Saturday 2032-11-27 | Sunday 2032-12-05 | 2032-11-28 |
| 2033 | Friday 2033-12-16 | Saturday 2033-12-24 | 2033-12-17 |
| 2034 | Wednesday 2034-12-06 | Thursday 2034-12-14 | 2034-12-07 |
| 2035 | Tuesday 2035-12-25 | Wednesday 2036-01-02 | 2035-12-26 |
Worked example: Hanukkah 2026
The first candle is lit on the evening of Friday, December 4, 2026, and the festival ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12, 2026. Counting evenings: night 1 is December 4, night 2 December 5, and night 8 December 11, so the eight evenings span December 4 to December 11 and the last day runs into the next day, December 12. Hebcal's 2026 schedule lists the first and eighth lights as lit before sundown (those evenings are Fridays, ahead of Shabbat) and the second as lit at nightfall (Saturday).
One candle is lit on the first night, two on the second, and so on up to eight, each night plus the shamash, the helper candle used to light the others.
When Hanukkah and Christmas overlap
Hanukkah 2027 begins on the evening of Friday, December 24, 2027 and ends Saturday, January 1, 2028, so the festival crosses into 2028. In 2035 it begins on the evening of Tuesday, December 25 and ends on January 2, 2036. In 2032 it starts early, on the evening of Saturday, November 27, which is the earliest start in this table.
What this page does not cover
Candle-lighting clock times depend on your location, so they are not listed here. Use Hebcal for a time at your latitude. The dates also follow the rules Hebcal publishes; if your community follows a different custom for Shabbat nights, check with your rabbi.
Frequently asked questions
When does Hanukkah start in 2026?
Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12, 2026, according to Hebcal. 25 Kislev 5787, the first full day, is Saturday, December 5.
Why does the date of Hanukkah change every year?
It follows the Hebrew calendar, which is based on the moon and kept in step with the seasons. Hanukkah is always the 25th of Kislev, and that day falls between late November and late December in the Gregorian calendar.
Why does Hanukkah start the evening before the date?
A day in the Hebrew calendar begins at sundown. The first candle is lit on the evening that starts 25 Kislev, so it falls on the Gregorian date before the daytime of the 25th.
How many candles are lit on each night?
One on the first night, increasing by one each night to eight on the last, plus the shamash that is used to light the others. The table in the tool lists the date for each night.
Does Hanukkah ever fall on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Yes. In this table, Hanukkah 2027 begins on the evening of December 24 and Hanukkah 2035 begins on the evening of December 25.
How were these dates checked?
Each year from 2026 to 2035 was compared with the Hebcal Chanukah page for that year, and the 25 Kislev day was checked against an independent Hebrew calendar calculation, on 26 October 2026.
Sources
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Dates, not rulings
The dates follow Hebcal. Candle-lighting times depend on your location, and customs differ between communities, so confirm with your own calendar or rabbi.