A little reason to celebrate
Hanukkah
Religious ยท Date set each year
Hanukkah, also spelled Chanukah, is the Jewish Festival of Lights, marked over eight nights with candle lighting, blessings, songs and fried foods.
Hanukkah falls on Saturday, December 5, 2026. That is 39 days away.
Hanukkah, also spelled Chanukah, is a Jewish holiday that lasts eight nights. It recalls the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem and the story of a small supply of oil that burned for eight days. Many people know it as the Festival of Lights.
The center of the holiday is the menorah used for Hanukkah, often called a hanukkiah. It holds eight candles in a row plus a helper candle, the shamash, which is used to light the others. One candle is added each night, so the glow grows as the week goes on. Families often say blessings while lighting and place the menorah in a window where it can be seen from outside.
Food follows the theme of oil. Latkes are fried potato pancakes, often served with applesauce or sour cream. Sufganiyot are jelly doughnuts, fried and dusted with sugar. Kitchens can smell of hot oil for days.
The dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side. Players take turns spinning it and win or lose pieces from a shared pot depending on which letter lands face up. The pot is often made of chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil, called gelt. Some families also give small gifts, and songs are sung after the candles are lit.
In many American towns, public menorah lightings bring neighbors together in parks and squares on chilly evenings, and the candles are left to burn down on their own.
Ways to celebrate
- Try making latkes at home with grated potatoes and onion.
- Learn the four letters on a dreidel and play a round.
- Look for a public menorah lighting in your community.
- Share sufganiyot with friends or coworkers.
- Read a children's book about Hanukkah with a young reader.
Things for the day
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Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Saturday, December 5 |
| 2027 | Saturday, December 25 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, December 13 |
| 2029 | Sunday, December 2 |
| 2030 | Saturday, December 21 |
All national days on December 5
Also on December 5
- National Repeal Day
- National Blue Jeans Day
- Day of the Ninja
- National Sacher Torte Day
- Bathtub Party Day
- National Communicate With Your Kids Day
Categories: Religious days