Hanukkah Countdown

Above is a live Hanukkah countdown with a year switcher, the full 8-night candle-lighting schedule, and an automatic “tonight is the Xth night” indicator that lights up during the festival itself. Bookmark it for the days before Hanukkah, and again during the 8 nights, when you need to know how many candles to light tonight and which blessings to say. Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026.

How Many Days Till Hanukkah?

The live countdown in the tool above shows the exact number of days, hours, minutes, and seconds until the first candle of Hanukkah is lit. The number ticks down in real time and updates automatically — no refresh needed.

If you’re visiting during the 8 nights of Hanukkah itself, the same tool switches modes and tells you which night it is tonight, how many candles to light, and what blessings to say. Outside the festival, it shows the countdown to the next first candle.

The first candle of Hanukkah 2026 is lit at sundown on Friday, December 4. The countdown ticks down to that moment in your local time zone.

The 8 Nights of Hanukkah 2026 — Candle-Lighting Schedule

The menorah (also called a hanukkiah) holds 9 candles — 8 for the nights of the festival, plus a 9th candle called the shamash (helper candle) that’s used to light the others. On the first night, one candle is lit. On each successive night, one additional candle is added — so by the final night, all 9 candles burn together.

Below is the full schedule for Hanukkah 2026. Each candle is lit at sundown on the date listed.

When Is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah always begins on the 25th of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar — but because the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, the date drifts on the Gregorian calendar each year. Hanukkah can fall anywhere from late November to late December.

The tool above includes a year switcher — tap any year to see its first-candle date and the full 8-night schedule. Here’s the quick reference:

The first candle is lit at sundown — not at the start of the day on the secular calendar. Jewish days begin at sunset, so the “first day” of Hanukkah technically begins the evening before what most calendars show.

The 8th and final candle is lit at sundown on the 8th night. The festival officially ends at nightfall the following day — so for Hanukkah 2026, the 8th candle is lit Friday evening, December 11, and the holiday ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12.

What Night of Hanukkah Is It Today?

If you’re visiting this page during the 8 nights of Hanukkah, the tool above automatically detects which night it is and shows you exactly how many candles to light tonight. It also displays tonight’s blessings — three on the first night (including Shehecheyanu), two on nights 2 through 8.

The “tonight is the Xth night” indicator changes every evening across the 8 nights, with the corresponding night’s candle-lighting count and notes. Bookmark this page or save it to your phone’s home screen during Hanukkah so the right answer is one tap away every evening.

How to Light the Menorah

The menorah goes in a window or doorway whenever possible. The Talmud calls this pirsumei nisa — “publicizing the miracle” — so neighbors and passersby can see the lights.

The standard lighting order:

1. Place new candles right to left. The newest candle (the one added each night) goes on the rightmost empty space.
2. Light the shamash first. The shamash is the helper candle, usually positioned higher or to the side. It’s used to light all the others.
3. Light the candles left to right. The newest candle is lit first, then moving right through the existing candles.
4. Recite the blessings as the candles are lit — three on night 1, two on nights 2–8 (see below).
5. Let the candles burn for at least 30 minutes. Many families enjoy dinner during this time, sing Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages), or play dreidel.

A standard box of Hanukkah candles holds 44 — exactly enough for one menorah across all 8 nights (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8 = 36 main candles, plus 8 shamash candles). If multiple family members are each lighting their own menorah, plan accordingly.

The Hanukkah Blessings

Two blessings are recited on every night of Hanukkah. A third — the Shehecheyanu — is said only on the first night. See Hanukkah Blessings

Blessing 1 — Over the candles

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the lights of Hanukkah.”

Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah.

Blessing 2 — For the miracle

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors, in those days, at this time.”

Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, she-asah nisim la-avoteinu, ba-yamim ha-heim ba-z’man ha-zeh.

Shehecheyanu — First night only

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and brought us to this season.”

Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, she-hecheyanu, v’kiy’manu, v’higi-anu la-z’man ha-zeh.

The Shehecheyanu is a blessing recited at the start of any new or seasonal occasion — it’s not unique to Hanukkah. But its placement on the first night marks the festival as a beginning.

How Do You Pronounce “Hanukkah”?

The Hebrew is חֲנֻכָּה — pronounced KHAH-noo-kah, with a guttural “kh” sound at the start (like the German “ach” or Scottish “loch”). It’s not a soft English “h,” and it’s not “tcha-new-kah.” If you can’t make the guttural “kh” sound naturally, a soft “h” is widely understood and perfectly acceptable.

Why So Many Spellings? (Hanukkah, Chanukah, Hanuka…)

All of these spellings are legitimate:

• Hanukkah — most common in the US; recommended by the AP Stylebook
• Chanukah — traditional transliteration, closer to the Hebrew pronunciation (with the “ch” representing the guttural sound)
• Hanukah — simplified single-K version
• Hanuka — simpler still
• Chanuka — alternate traditional spelling

There’s no single “correct” spelling because the Hebrew alphabet doesn’t map cleanly to English letters. The Hebrew word starts with a chet (ח), a guttural consonant that English doesn’t have. Different transliteration systems chose different ways to represent it — and all of them survived.

In most US contexts, “Hanukkah” is the modern default. Older publications and religious institutions sometimes prefer “Chanukah.” Use whichever feels right.

What Is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah — Hebrew for “dedication” — commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 165 BCE, after a group of Jewish fighters known as the Maccabees successfully revolted against the Seleucid Greek Empire that had been suppressing Jewish religious practice.

The story tells that when the Maccabees recaptured the Temple, they wanted to relight the eternal flame — the ner tamid — but found only a single day’s worth of consecrated oil. They lit it anyway. The oil burned for eight days, long enough for new oil to be prepared. That’s the miracle the eight nights commemorate.

The festival celebrates two things at once: a historical military victory for religious freedom, and a spiritual miracle of light. Both meanings are woven through the modern observance.

Hanukkah Traditions

The candle lighting is the centerpiece, but Hanukkah includes a rich set of customs:

• Oil-fried foods. The miracle of the oil is commemorated by eating foods cooked in oil — especially latkes (potato pancakes, often served with applesauce and sour cream) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts dusted with powdered sugar). Sephardic communities have their own oil-fried specialties like bimuelos.
• Dreidel. A four-sided spinning top with the Hebrew letters Nun, Gimel, Hei, Shin on its sides — an acronym for Nes Gadol Hayah Sham, “A great miracle happened there.” (In Israel, the Shin is replaced with a Pei for “Po” — “here.”) Players spin the dreidel and win or lose chocolate coins (gelt) depending on which letter lands up.
• Gelt. Coins, traditionally given to children. Today most gelt is chocolate, wrapped in gold foil. Some families also give small gifts each night.
• Songs. Maoz Tzur (“Rock of Ages”) is the most famous, traditionally sung after the candle lighting. Modern families often add songs like Mi Y’malel and Sevivon Sov Sov Sov.
• Public menorahs. Since the 1970s, the Chabad movement has organized large public menorah lightings in cities around the world — including outside the White House and at the foot of major landmarks.

How Long Does Hanukkah Last?

Hanukkah lasts 8 days and 8 nights. The first candle is lit at sundown on the 25th of Kislev (the first night), and the festival ends at nightfall on the 2nd or 3rd of Tevet (depending on the length of Kislev that year). On the Gregorian calendar, this is always an 8-night, 8-day span.

The “8 days” comes directly from the miracle: the day’s worth of oil that burned for eight days.

Is Hanukkah the “Jewish Christmas”?

No — and the comparison is misleading. Hanukkah is actually a minor Jewish holiday in terms of religious significance. The major Jewish holidays are Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Sukkot, Pesach (Passover), and Shavuot.

Hanukkah gained outsized cultural prominence in North America largely because of its late-December timing alongside Christmas, which led to gift-giving becoming a more significant part of modern Hanukkah celebrations. In Israel, Hanukkah is celebrated joyfully but without the same gift-focused intensity.

The two holidays share a winter-season “festival of light” feel, but Hanukkah is a celebration of religious freedom and a remembered miracle — not a parallel of Christmas.

Share Your Hanukkah Countdown — or Embed It on Your Site

Click “Share & Embed →” in the tool above to copy a share link, get embed code for a website, or download an .ics calendar file that adds all 8 nights to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook in one tap.

The share link preserves the year you’ve selected — so if you’ve switched to 2027 to plan ahead, the link drops a friend right onto the 2027 view. The embed code is an iframe you can paste into any synagogue website, school calendar page, community newsletter, or family blog. The embedded version shows the date, day-of-week, status panel (countdown before the holiday, “tonight is the Xth night” during, “ended on…” after), and a credit link back to this page.

The same kind of free countdown timer works for any event — birthdays, weddings, vacations, holidays. Visit our free countdown timer to build a custom countdown for any moment that matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days till Hanukkah?

The live countdown in the tool at the top of this page shows the exact number of days, hours, minutes, and seconds until the first candle of Hanukkah. Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026.

When is Hanukkah 2026?

Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026. The first candle is lit that evening; one additional candle is added each night, ending with all 8 candles plus the shamash burning together on Friday, December 11. The holiday officially ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12.

When is Hanukkah 2027?

Hanukkah 2027 begins at sundown on Friday, December 24, 2027 — Christmas Eve. The 8th candle is lit on Friday, December 31, and the holiday ends at nightfall on Saturday, January 1, 2028. This is a rare overlap year — Hanukkah and Christmas align like this only a few times each century.

What night of Hanukkah is it today?

If you’re visiting during Hanukkah, the tool at the top of this page automatically detects which night it is and tells you how many candles to light tonight. Before and after the holiday, the same tool shows the countdown or the date of next year’s first candle.

How many candles do you light on Hanukkah?

You light one candle on the first night, two on the second, three on the third, and so on — ending with 8 candles on the final night. The shamash (helper candle) is also lit every night, so on the 8th night you have 9 candles burning. Across all 8 nights, you’ll burn through 36 main candles plus 8 shamash candles — a standard box of 44 Hanukkah candles is exactly enough.

What’s the shamash candle?

The shamash (literally “attendant” or “helper”) is the 9th candle on the menorah. It’s lit first each night and then used to light the other candles. The shamash is usually positioned higher, lower, or to the side of the others to keep it visually distinct. Its purpose is to make sure the Hanukkah lights themselves are used only for their sacred purpose — the shamash provides any other useful light.

How do you pronounce Hanukkah?

KHAH-noo-kah. The “Ha” is a guttural “kh” sound, like the German “ach” or Scottish “loch” — not a soft English “h.” If the guttural sound is difficult, a soft “h” pronunciation is widely accepted.

Is it Hanukkah, Chanukah, or Hanukah?

All three spellings are correct. “Hanukkah” is the most common in modern US English. “Chanukah” is the traditional transliteration that better matches the guttural Hebrew pronunciation. “Hanukah” and “Hanuka” are simpler variants. Use whichever feels right — none is wrong.

What’s the difference between a menorah and a hanukkiah?

A menorah is any ceremonial Jewish candelabra. The 9-branched candelabra specifically used during Hanukkah is technically called a hanukkiah — but in common English usage, “menorah” usually refers to the Hanukkah lamp specifically.

What do you say when lighting the Hanukkah candles?

Two blessings on every night, plus a third (Shehecheyanu) on the first night only. The full Hebrew transliterations and English translations are in the “Hanukkah Blessings” section above, and the tool at the top of the page shows tonight’s blessings during the festival.

What’s the story behind Hanukkah?

In 165 BCE, the Jewish people, led by Judah Maccabee, revolted against the Seleucid Greek Empire that had been suppressing Jewish religious practice. After defeating the Greek army and recapturing the Temple in Jerusalem, the Maccabees found only one day’s worth of consecrated oil to relight the eternal flame. The oil miraculously burned for eight days, long enough to prepare new oil. The 8 nights of Hanukkah commemorate that miracle.

How long does Hanukkah last?

8 days and 8 nights. Hanukkah begins on the 25th of Kislev (a Hebrew calendar month) and ends on the 2nd or 3rd of Tevet, depending on the length of Kislev that year. In Gregorian terms, it’s always an 8-night, 8-day festival.

Is Hanukkah always near Christmas?

It’s always in the same general winter season, but the actual proximity varies a lot. Some years Hanukkah ends weeks before Christmas (like 2026), some years they overlap (2024, 2027), and some years Hanukkah ends after Christmas. The Hebrew calendar drifts against the Gregorian by about 11 days per year, with periodic leap-month corrections, which is why the relationship changes.

Can I embed this Hanukkah tool on my own website?

Yes. Click “Share & Embed →” in the tool above to copy an iframe embed code. The embedded tool displays the date, day of the week, and status panel (countdown before the holiday, “tonight is night X” during, “ended on…” after). It works on any website, blog, synagogue page, or HTML editor.

How do I add Hanukkah to my calendar?

Click “Share & Embed →” in the tool and select the calendar download option. It generates an .ics file with all 8 nights of Hanukkah as separate events, each labeled with the night number and number of candles to light. Import the file into Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook, or any standard calendar app.