Days Until Hanukkah
Countdown to the Festival of Lights
Friday, 4 December 2026
Hanukkah by the numbers
About Hanukkah
Hanukkah (Chanukah) is the Jewish eight-day festival of lights, commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean revolt. According to tradition, a single day's supply of oil miraculously burned for eight nights — a symbol of perseverance and hope that inspires the nightly lighting of the menorah.
Families celebrate by lighting one additional candle on the hanukkiah each evening, playing dreidel, eating foods fried in oil such as latkes and sufganiyot, and exchanging gifts. Though a minor festival in the Jewish calendar, Hanukkah is widely observed across the Jewish diaspora and has become a cherished winter celebration of light overcoming darkness.
How is the Hanukkah countdown calculated?
This countdown targets midnight on the first day of Hanukkah in your local time zone — the calendar date when the festival begins. The dates shown follow the Hebrew lunisolar calendar, when Hanukkah always starts on 25 Kislev. The display updates every second with the precise days, hours, minutes, and seconds remaining.
Because the Hebrew calendar adds a leap month roughly every three years, Hanukkah can shift more dramatically in the Gregorian calendar than some other religious holidays — anywhere from late November to late December. Once the current year's date has passed, the countdown automatically rolls forward to the next listed Hanukkah.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the date of Hanukkah change every year?
Hanukkah always begins on 25 Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, but that date maps to different Gregorian dates each year because the Jewish year is lunisolar — it follows the moon's cycles while staying aligned with the seasons through periodic leap months. Hanukkah typically falls between late November and late December on the civil calendar.
How long does Hanukkah last?
Hanukkah lasts eight nights and days, commemorating the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days. Each evening, one additional candle is lit on the hanukkiah (menorah) until all eight candles plus the shamash (helper candle) are glowing on the final night. This countdown targets the first night of the festival.
When does Hanukkah actually begin each night?
In Jewish tradition, a new day begins at sundown, not midnight. The first candle is lit at sundown on the evening before the calendar date shown on this page. For example, if Hanukkah falls on 4 December, families light the first candle on the evening of 3 December. This countdown uses midnight on the listed date as its target for consistency with other Clockr countdowns.
What is the difference between a menorah and a hanukkiah?
A menorah is the seven-branched candelabrum described in the Torah and used in the ancient Temple. A hanukkiah is the nine-branched candelabrum used specifically at Hanukkah — eight candles for the eight nights, plus a ninth shamash candle used to light the others. Both are symbols of light, but only the hanukkiah is used during the festival.