Hanukkah 2026 Dates: Candle-Lighting Night by Night (4-12 December)
Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday 4 December and ends at nightfall on Saturday 12 December (25 Kislev to 2 Tevet 5787). The first candle is lit on Friday 4 December before the Shabbat candles, and the eighth on Friday 11 December, also before sundown.
Key facts
- First night: Friday 4 December 2026
- Last night: Friday 11 December 2026
- On Saturday 5 December, light after Shabbat ends
- Check Hebcal for exact local times
Last updated 1 Nov 2026
Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday 4 December and ends at nightfall on Saturday 12 December (25 Kislev to 2 Tevet 5787, per Hebcal). This year it falls before Christmas, so it overlaps with the first two weeks of Advent.
Candle-lighting dates
| Night | Date (2026) | Candles (plus the shamash) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Fri 4 Dec, before sundown (Shabbat) | 1 |
| 2nd | Sat 5 Dec, after nightfall (after Shabbat ends) | 2 |
| 3rd | Sun 6 Dec, at dusk | 3 |
| 4th | Mon 7 Dec, at dusk | 4 |
| 5th | Tue 8 Dec, at dusk | 5 |
| 6th | Wed 9 Dec, at dusk | 6 |
| 7th | Thu 10 Dec, at dusk | 7 |
| 8th | Fri 11 Dec, before sundown (Shabbat) | 8 |
Both Fridays fall on Shabbat eve, so the Hanukkah candles are lit before the Shabbat candles, before sundown. On Saturday 5 December the candles are lit after Shabbat ends. Exact local times depend on where you live, so check a local calendar such as Hebcal for your city.
Simple ideas for the eight nights
- Give each night a small theme: a book night, a game night, a giving night
- Play dreidel with chocolate coins (gelt), raisins or buttons
- Make latkes or sufganiyot (jam doughnuts) together on one night
- Let each child take a turn lighting the candles with an adult
- Choose one night to donate food or toys locally
- Keep the gifts small and save one bigger gift for the last night
Printables
If you like paper planners, our Hanukkah 2026 family printable pack ($5, 31 pages) has a dated candle-lighting tracker, dreidel games, colouring pages and planning sheets. Celebrating both holidays? See the advent calendar dates for 2026.