Every year, the calendar turns to December, and familiar holiday traditions begin to unfold. Mariah Carey’s iconic Christmas anthem returns to the airwaves, homes are adorned with festive lights, and the anticipation for Christmas Day on December 25th builds. While Christmas enjoys a fixed date, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah often seems to float across the late fall and early winter months, leading some to wonder, “Why Is There No Hanukkah In 2024?”.
This question stems from a common perception that Hanukkah should always fall neatly within December, close to Christmas. However, the reality is quite different. Hanukkah is indeed celebrated in 2024, and in a rather unique twist, the first night of Hanukkah coincides with Christmas Day. Instead of there being no Hanukkah, 2024 presents a rare and noteworthy overlap of these two distinct holidays. The eight nights of Hanukkah 2024 will commence on the evening of December 25th, extending all the way to January 2nd, 2025.
To understand why Hanukkah’s timing appears so variable and why it aligns with Christmas in 2024, we need to delve into the workings of the Jewish calendar. Unlike the fixed date of Christmas, which is based on the Gregorian solar calendar, Hanukkah’s date is determined by the Hebrew lunisolar calendar. This calendar system, which harmonizes lunar months with the solar year, results in Jewish holidays shifting on the Gregorian calendar each year.
Hanukkah always begins on the 25th day of Kislev in the Jewish calendar. Kislev is a month that typically falls in late autumn or early winter. In the Jewish year 5785, which began in the fall of 2024, the 25th of Kislev corresponds to Wednesday, December 25th on the Gregorian calendar. This alignment is why Hanukkah 2024 starts on Christmas Day, a convergence that last occurred in 2005 and will next happen in 2035. While Hanukkah sometimes starts and ends before Christmas, and can even fall in November, this year presents a unique scenario where the two holidays become intertwined.
The holiday of Hanukkah, though considered a minor festival in Judaism compared to High Holy Days like Yom Kippur or Passover, holds significant historical and cultural importance. Hanukkah commemorates the Maccabean Revolt in the 2nd century BCE, when Jewish rebels fought against the oppressive Seleucid Greek Empire. The miracle of Hanukkah, celebrated through the nightly lighting of the menorah for eight nights, recalls the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. According to tradition, a small amount of oil meant to last for only one day miraculously burned for eight days, symbolizing divine intervention and resilience.
This historical event is further celebrated with specific Hanukkah traditions. Foods fried in oil, like latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts), are enjoyed to commemorate the miracle of the oil. The dreidel, a spinning top game, is another popular Hanukkah custom, particularly for children. While gift-giving is a relatively recent addition to Hanukkah observances, influenced by the commercialization of Christmas, it has become a prevalent aspect of celebrating Hanukkah in many Western cultures, especially in the United States.
The convergence of Hanukkah and Christmas in 2024 offers a unique moment in time. For interfaith families, this overlap might simplify holiday scheduling, or it could present a delightful opportunity to celebrate both traditions simultaneously, perhaps even embracing the playful portmanteau “Chrismukkah,” popularized by the TV show “The O.C.” Regardless, understanding the reason behind Hanukkah’s shifting dates and its alignment with Christmas in 2024 enriches our appreciation for the diversity of cultural and religious celebrations around the world.
