Hanukkah in 2025 starts on the evening of Sunday, December 14, and candles are lit on each of the eight nights from December 14 through the evening of December 21. The general rule is to light at home around sunset or shortly after, with special rules for Friday night and Saturday night.

When to light in 2025

Most common practice (especially in North America and Israel):

  • Light around sunset each night, so the candles are burning as it gets dark.
  • Some communities light at full nightfall (about 20–40 minutes after sunset), especially in Israel or in Sephardic traditions.

For 2025 (local times vary by city, these are typical guidelines, not exact to your location):

  • Night 1 – Sunday, December 14: at or just after sunset (around 4:40–4:45 p.m. in many mid-latitude cities).
  • Night 2 – Monday, December 15: at or just after sunset.
  • Night 3 – Tuesday, December 16: at or just after sunset.
  • Night 4 – Wednesday, December 17: after full nightfall; if Shabbat is coming, communities adjust as needed.
  • Night 5 – Thursday, December 18: at or just after sunset.
  • Night 6 – Friday, December 19: before Shabbat candles , which themselves are before sunset.
  • Night 7 – Saturday, December 20: after Shabbat ends and after Havdalah.
  • Night 8 – Sunday, December 21: at or just after sunset.

For precise minutes in your city, it is best to check a local Jewish calendar or synagogue schedule for “Hanukkah candle-lighting times 2025” and select your location.

Special Shabbat rules

On the Friday of Hanukkah (December 19, 2025):

  • Light the Hanukkah candles first , then Shabbat candles, all before sunset.
  • Do not light Hanukkah candles after accepting Shabbat.

On the Saturday night of Hanukkah (December 20, 2025):

  • Wait until Shabbat is over (according to your community’s time).
  • Many follow the practice of making Havdalah first , then lighting Hanukkah candles; some communities reverse that order.

Basic how‑to (quick)

  • Place candles from right to left, but light from left to right , starting with the new candle each night.
  • Use the shamash (helper candle) to light the others.
  • On night 1, say three blessings; on nights 2–8, say the first two only.

Mini FAQ and viewpoints

  • Ashkenazi custom: Often closer to sunset, emphasizing visibility in the early evening.
  • Sephardi/Mizrahi custom: Often waits for nightfall (when three medium stars are visible).
  • Modern practice in cities: Many people adjust slightly for family schedules, while still trying to be within the traditional sunset–nightfall window.

For 2025, you’ll be lighting from Sunday night, December 14, through Sunday night, December 21; check a location‑based Jewish calendar to lock in exact minutes for your area.

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