If you’re asking yourself When is Hanukkah 2024, you’re not alone. Here’s everything you need to know to get a head start on you holiday prep this year!
When is Hanukkah 2024?
Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev and continues for eight days. Hanukkah begins the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, and goes until the evening of Thursday, Jan. 2, 2024.
What is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah is the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights that typically takes place between late November and late December. Jews celebrate it by lighting the menorah, playing the game of dreidel and eating special holiday foods like latkes and sufganiyot. Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after it was defiled by the Selucids in 164 B.C.E., and is one of the happiest Jewish holidays of the year.
Read more: Get our guides to all the Jewish holidays.
It is also one of the most celebrated Jewish holidays. Although Hanukkah is considered a “minor” holiday (i.e., it’s not mentioned in the Torah and has minimal restrictions), it is anything but minor to many Jews. A survey from 2018 found that two-thirds of American Jews view Hanukkah as “one of the three most important holidays.” And 60% of American Jews, as well as 73% of Israeli Jews, light candles each night. It’s clear for both American and Israeli Jews, Hanukkah is a uniquely popular holiday.
So, to summarize, the “festival of lights” is a happy occasion in which we recall the miraculous rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the second century BCE (read the Hanukkah story below). The themes of this holiday include liberation from oppression, religious freedom, divine miracles, human action and courage.
Read more: Here are the best gifts to give Jewish Gen Z for Hanukkah
How to spell Hanukkah
There are many different ways to spell Hanukkah. The Oxford English Dictionary lists 24 variant spellings: Chanucha, Chanuchah, Hanuca, Hanucka, Chanuca, Chanucah, Chanucca, Chanuccah, Chanuka, Chanukah, Chanukka, Chanukkah, Hanucah, Hanucca, Hanuccah, Hanucha, Hanuckah, Hanuka, Hanukah, Hanukka, Hanukkah, Khanukah, Khanukka, and Khanukkah.
But we don’t recommend you choose just any of those. According to most sources, the most commonly used spellings are “Hanukkah” and “Chanukah.” As this website points out, there are good reasons behind both spellings. While “Chanukah” conveys the unique sound of the word in Hebrew, “Hanukkah” could better resemble the Hebrew letter “het,” which is most similar to an “h” in English. Additionally, spelling it as “Hanukkah” reflects how many English speakers pronounce it, with a soft “h.”
For the record, we spell it Hanukkah here at Unpacked, the same spelling many major Jewish organizations use.
How to wish someone a Happy Hanukkah
To wish someone a happy Hanukkah, you can say, “Happy Hanukkah!” or use one of the following options:
- Hanukkah sameach! (Happy Hanukkah)
- Chag sameach! (Happy holiday)
- Chag urim sameach! (Happy festival of lights)
