It's "Chrismukkah" season
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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 Christmas night back 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.
💬 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 doesn't come back 'round til 2035.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Hanukkah begins on 25 Kislev (not 24 Kislev), and to include additional detail about when the first night of Hanukkah is celebrated on the Gregorian calendar.