When is Hanukkah 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027...2030

Hanukkah starts on the 25th of the month of Kislev and continues to the 2nd or 3rd of Tevet in the Jewish calendar. It usually starts in December in the Gregorian calendar. 

In 2024, it takes place from sundown on December 25 to sundown on January 2. The festival lasts for 8 days.

When is Hanukkah 2024?

Hanukkah 2024 runs from the sunset on Wednesday, December 25 to the sunset on Thursday, January 2.

The date of Hanukkah is based on the Jewish calendar. It begins on the 25th of Kislev (the ninth month) and ends on the 2nd or 3rd of Tevet (the 10th month) of the Hebrew (Jewish) calendar. 

As the Jewish calendar doesn't match the Gregorian calendar, so the date for the festival changes each year. 

Hanukkah Dates for 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027... 2030

Dates for Hanukkah are based on the Jewish calendar, which is lunisolar, unlike the internationally used Gregorian calendar. Hanukkah usually starts in December, around a week before the winter solstice, which is around December 14th. The reason the date changes is because the lunar year is about 10 to 12 days shorter than the solar year, so the dates of Hanukkah retreat by 10 to 12 days each year.

See below the dates for Hanukkah from 2023, 2024 to 2030.  

Note: The Jewish calendar day begins at sundown.

How Long is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah lasts for 8 days, commemorating the first 8 days of the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE. In 2024, the event lasts from December 25 to January 2. 

How Long is the Jewish Hanukkah Holidays in 2024, 2025? 

Hanukkah is considered a minor holiday in Israel. The event last for 8 days from the evening of December 25th to the evening of January 2nd in 2024.  The first day is usually a public holiday, so in 2024, December 26 is the public holiday for Hanukkah. During the holiday, schools, and offices may be closed.

In the United States, while Hanukkah is not a public holiday, it is widely celebrated by the Jewish communities. During the holiday, which falls around the same time as Christmas, schools and offices may be closed, allowing families to come together and celebrate this special occasion.

In 2025, the event lasts from December 15 to December 23. 

How the Dates of Hanukkah are Determined

The date of Hanukkah is determined by the lunisolar Hebrew calendar. Hanukkah begins with the 25th day of the third Hebrew month of Kislev and lasts for eight days. It ends with the 2nd or 3rd of Tevet, depending on whether the previous lunar month has 29 or 30 days.

The festival falls in December in the Gregorian calendar.

Why the Dates of Hanukkah Change Each Year

Hanukkah's date changes each year because it follows the Hebrew calendar, which combines the cycles of the moon and the sun. The Hebrew calendar is different from the standard (Gregorian) calendar, which is based solely on the length of a solar year.

A typical year in the Hebrew calendar has 354 days and a Hebrew leap year has 383 or 384 days due to an extra lunar month. In comparison, a regular calendar year has 365 or 366 days in a leap year.

Each Hebrew lunar month has 29 or 30 days depending on various rules. So, the Hebrew calendar dates retreats by 10 to 12 days or advances by 17 to 20 days with respect to the Gregorian calendar. So, the Hebrew calendar dates retreats by 10 to 12 days or advances by 17 to 20 days with respect to the Gregorian calendar.

What is not allowed during the Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is a joyful event for Jews to commemorate the miracle of the menorah oil and their victory over Selucid occupiers culminating in the rededication of their temple. There are no special taboos except for the usual kosher rules including no pork or shellfish. Following other Judaic food rules, Jews will not mix meat and dairy in the same meal, so if a chicken is on the table, you won't find butter or cheese.

Kosher foods and drinks including alcohol are all allowed during Hanukkah.

How to Wish a Happy Hanukkah and When to Send Festive Wishes

You can wish your friends, colleagues, or family members a 'happy Hanukkah' by saying "Chag Hanukkah sameach". This is the Hebrew expression that means 'happy Hanukkah festival'.

You can offer your greetings any day during the 8-day celebrations. However, it is most commonly said on the first night of Hanukkah, especially by Jews, that is the evening of Thursday, December 7th in 2024.

You Might Want to Read

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