"Chrismukkah": Why Christmas and Hanukkah fall on the same date this year
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Christmas Day and the first night of Hanukkah fall on the same date this year for the first time in nearly 20 years.
Flashback: Hanukkah last started on the evening of Christmas Day in 2005 — the only other time the two have aligned in the last 50 years.
- Hanukkah has started the night of Christmas Eve twice in the last 50 years: in 1978 and 2016.
How it works: The first day of Hanukkah comes on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar, which is based on lunar cycles with the occasional "leap month."
- Jewish calendar days begin at sundown, meaning 25 Kislev starts this year on the evening of Dec. 25, when the first candle is lit.
- Hanukkah can start in late November through late December on the more commonly used Gregorian calendar.
By the numbers: The earliest first nights of Hanukkah on the Gregorian calendar over the last 50 years came in 1994 and 2013, when it fell on Nov. 27.
- The latest came in 1986, on Dec. 26.
- The most common first night over the last 50 years? Dec. 8 (1974, 1993, 2012).
💬 Our thought bubble: This year's "Chrismukkah" is both a simple celestial coincidence and a blessing for people who take part in both holidays, giving us a rare chance to truly blend and share end-of-year celebrations and traditions with our different family groups and loved ones.
What's next: The next Hanukkah-Christmas alignment is in 2035.
