Hanukkah 2024: Festival of Lights Begins December 25

The eight-day Jewish holiday coincides with Christmas this year, marking a rare overlap on the calendar.

Hanukkah 2024 starts at sundown on Wednesday, December 25, and ends at sundown on Thursday, January 2, 2025.
The holiday commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of oil lasting eight days.
Celebrations include lighting the menorah, eating foods fried in oil like latkes and sufganiyot, and playing the dreidel game.
This year’s overlap with Christmas highlights the shared season of light and hope across different traditions.
Communities across the U.S., including the Bay Area, are hosting public menorah lightings, concerts, and family-friendly events to mark the occasion.