The first day of Hanukkah in 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026.

Key details

  • Hanukkah starts at sundown , not at midnight, so the holiday’s first candle is lit on the evening of December 4, 2026.
  • The festival then continues for eight nights, ending at nightfall on Saturday, December 12, 2026.

Quick calendar view

  • First candle / first night: Friday evening, December 4, 2026.
  • Last candle / eighth night: Friday evening, December 11, 2026, with the holiday concluding the next night, December 12, 2026.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.