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Free Hanukkah 2026 Menorah Lighting GuideNight-by-Night Candles, Times & Dreidel

Hanukkah 2026 starts at sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026, and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12, 2026. Light one candle plus the shamash on the first night and add one each night, up to eight on Friday, December 11.

Pick a night to see which candles to place and the order to light them, read the blessings in Hebrew, transliteration, and English, get sunset and nightfall times for your city, and download all eight nights to your calendar. Then spin the dreidel. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is uploaded.

Dates for 2025 to 2036Menorah order, night by nightLocal candle-lighting timesPrintable plan and .icsOnline dreidel

Step 1

Hanukkah 2026 dates, night by night

Begins at sundown Friday, December 4, 2026; last candles Friday, December 11, 2026; ends at nightfall Saturday, December 12, 2026.

Choose a night

Step 2

How to light the menorah on night 1

Friday, December 4, 2026: Friday, light before Shabbat begins

1 candle + shamash

Menorah for night 11 candle on the far right branch, plus the raised shamash in the middle. Light the newest candle on the left first and move right.Shamash1Numbers show the lighting order

Place candles from the right. Light from the left, newest first.

Step-by-step

  1. Place 1 candle in the menorah, starting from the far right branch, plus the shamash in its raised holder.
  2. Light the shamash (helper candle) first and hold it while saying the blessings.
  3. Say three blessings: the candle blessing, She'asah Nisim, and Shehecheyanu (said on the first night, or the first night you light this Hanukkah).
  4. Use the shamash to light the single candle on the far right.
  5. Return the shamash to its raised holder and let the candles burn at least 30 minutes after nightfall.

Lighting order for night 1: the single candle on the far right.

The Hanukkah blessings

Tonight, say all three blessings.

1. Blessing over the candles

Every night

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל חֲנֻכָּה.

Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha'olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Hanukkah.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the Chanukah candles.

2. She'asah Nisim (who made miracles)

Every night

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה.

Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha'olam, she'asah nisim la'avoteinu bayamim haheim bazman hazeh.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who made miracles for our ancestors in their days in this season.

3. Shehecheyanu (who has kept us alive)

First night only, or the first night you light this Hanukkah

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה.

Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha'olam, shehecheyanu v'kiy'manu v'higi'anu lazman hazeh.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.

Wording differs slightly between communities. The Ashkenazi text above says ner shel Hanukkah; many, including Chabad, say ner Hanukkah, and some say bizman instead of bazman. Follow your own siddur or family custom. The blessings are said while holding the lit shamash, just before lighting the candles. Hebrew text: Daat Siddur Ashkenaz via Sefaria; English: Sefaria Community Translation.

Step 3

Candle-lighting times for your location

Sunset is calculated in your browser with the NOAA solar formula. Nothing is sent to a server.

Coordinates use your device time zone. West and south are negative.

Weeknight custom

Choose a city, share your location, or enter coordinates to see sunset, nightfall, and lighting times for all 8 nights.

Nightfall here means the sun is 8.5 degrees below the horizon, the default used by hebcal.com for when three stars are visible; some communities use a fixed 42, 50, or 72 minutes after sunset. Shabbat candle-lighting is 18 minutes before sunset (40 in Jerusalem, 30 in Haifa). Times assume sea level and are rounded to the minute. Customs differ, so check with your community or rabbi.

Step 4

Your 8-night family plan for Hanukkah 2026

One tradition, food, and activity idea for each night. Choose a location above to add lighting times.

Night 1: Begin the story

Friday, December 4, 2026 · 1 candle + shamash

Tradition:
Light the first candle together and say all three blessings, including Shehecheyanu.
Food:
Potato latkes with applesauce and sour cream. Foods fried in oil recall the oil of the Temple menorah.
Activity:
Tell the story of the Maccabees and the rededication of the Temple. Hanukkah means dedication.

Night 2: Songs and spinning

Saturday, December 5, 2026 · 2 candles + shamash

Tradition:
After lighting, sing Maoz Tzur or another song your family knows.
Food:
Sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts), a favorite in Israel.
Activity:
Learn the four dreidel letters and play a first round for chocolate gelt.

Night 3: Share the light

Sunday, December 6, 2026 · 3 candles + shamash

Tradition:
Place the menorah where passersby can see it, in a window or doorway as your family's custom allows, to publicize the miracle.
Food:
A dairy dish or cheese latkes. Some families eat dairy on Hanukkah in memory of Judith.
Activity:
Walk or drive around the neighborhood to see other menorahs glowing.

Night 4: Giving

Monday, December 7, 2026 · 4 candles + shamash

Tradition:
Choose a cause together and give tzedakah (charity).
Food:
Sweet potato or zucchini latkes for a change.
Activity:
Make or decorate your own family dreidel.

Night 5: Generations

Tuesday, December 8, 2026 · 5 candles + shamash

Tradition:
Invite grandparents or relatives to light with you, in person or on a video call.
Food:
Cook a recipe handed down in your family and write down how it is made.
Activity:
Ask an older relative about their earliest Hanukkah memory and record the answer for your family tree.

Night 6: Heritage foods

Wednesday, December 9, 2026 · 6 candles + shamash

Tradition:
Each person shares one thing they are thankful for before the candles burn down.
Food:
A fried treat from your family's heritage, such as bimuelos (Sephardi fried dough) or another family favorite.
Activity:
Hold a dreidel tournament with the scorekeeper below.

Night 7: Stories and letters

Thursday, December 10, 2026 · 7 candles + shamash

Tradition:
Read a Hanukkah story aloud while the candles burn.
Food:
A family holiday dinner, such as brisket or a vegetarian main your family loves.
Activity:
Write cards or short notes to relatives you have not seen this year.

Night 8: A full menorah

Friday, December 11, 2026 · 8 candles + shamash

Tradition:
Light all eight candles plus the shamash and sit together to watch them burn.
Food:
Finish with a favorite dessert or the last of the latkes.
Activity:
Look through old family photos and choose one tradition to keep next year.

Step 5

Spin the dreidel and keep score

Play with 2 to 6 players. The spinner picks each letter with equal odds; the scoreboard tracks gelt, the pot, and whose turn it is.

Player 1's turn

Pot: 3

Gelt scoreboard
PlayerGeltStatus
Player 19Spinning next
Player 29In
Player 39In

The four letters and the rules

The letters stand for Nes Gadol Haya Sham, “a great miracle happened there.” Everyone starts by putting one piece in the pot, and puts one in again whenever the pot is emptied.

Nun (Nes, “miracle”)
Nothing happens. Play passes to the next player.
Gimel (Gadol, “great”)
Take the whole pot. Then every player puts one piece in.
Hei (Haya, “happened”)
Take half the pot. If the pot is odd, leave the extra piece in (round down).
Shin (Sham, “there”)
Put one piece into the pot.
Pe (Po, “here”)
Dreidels made in Israel usually replace shin with pe, for Nes Gadol Haya Po, "a great miracle happened here." In the game, pe is played like shin.

House rules vary. Some families round Hei up instead of down, or make Shin cost more to speed up the game. A player who cannot pay is out, and the last player with gelt wins.

Customs that differ

When to light. Some communities light shortly after sunset, and others at nightfall. Both agree the lights should burn until at least half an hour after nightfall, so candles lit at sunset need to last longer.

How many menorahs. In the Sephardi custom, recorded in the Shulchan Aruch, one menorah is lit for the whole household. In the Ashkenazi custom, recorded by the Rema, each member of the household lights their own.

Where to place it. Many place the menorah in a doorway, opposite the mezuzah; others put it in a window facing the street, so the lights can be seen from outside.

Blessing wording. Small wording differences exist between prayer books, such as ner shel Hanukkah or ner Hanukkah. Follow your own siddur or family practice.

Hanukkah dates, 2025 to 2036

Hanukkah starts on the 25th of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, so its Gregorian dates move each year. The first candle is lit the evening before. Dates checked against hebcal.com.

Hanukkah first candle, last candle, and end date by year
YearFirst candle (sundown)Ends (nightfall)
2025Sunday, December 14, 2025Monday, December 22, 2025
2026Friday, December 4, 2026Saturday, December 12, 2026
2027Friday, December 24, 2027Saturday, January 1, 2028
2028Tuesday, December 12, 2028Wednesday, December 20, 2028
2029Saturday, December 1, 2029Sunday, December 9, 2029
2030Friday, December 20, 2030Saturday, December 28, 2030
2031Tuesday, December 9, 2031Wednesday, December 17, 2031
2032Saturday, November 27, 2032Sunday, December 5, 2032
2033Friday, December 16, 2033Saturday, December 24, 2033
2034Wednesday, December 6, 2034Thursday, December 14, 2034
2035Tuesday, December 25, 2035Wednesday, January 2, 2036
2036Saturday, December 13, 2036Sunday, December 21, 2036

Hanukkah 2026 FAQ

When is Hanukkah 2026?

Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026, when the first candle is lit, and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12, 2026. The eighth and final candle is lit on Friday, December 11.

How do you light a menorah?

Place one candle for each night of Hanukkah, plus the shamash (helper candle). Light the shamash, say the blessings while holding it, then use it to light the newest candle first and continue to the right. On the first night say three blessings; on the other nights say two.

Which side of the menorah do you start on?

Candles are placed from right to left: the first night's candle goes on the far right, and each new night adds a candle to its left. They are lit from left to right, so the newest candle is always lit first.

What time do you light Hanukkah candles?

Customs differ. Many light shortly after sunset, and other communities wait until nightfall. Either way, the candles need enough fuel to burn until at least 30 minutes after nightfall. Friday and Saturday nights have their own timing.

What do you do on Friday night and Shabbat during Hanukkah?

On Friday, light the Hanukkah candles before the Shabbat candles, which are lit 18 minutes before sunset in most places (40 minutes in Jerusalem). Use candles big enough to burn until 30 minutes after nightfall. On Saturday night, light after Shabbat ends, after Havdalah. In 2026 both the first and the eighth nights fall on a Friday.

How do you play dreidel?

Everyone puts one piece of gelt in the pot, then players take turns spinning. Nun: nothing happens. Gimel: take the whole pot, then everyone puts one in. Hei: take half the pot (this guide rounds down and leaves the odd piece). Shin: put one in. A player who cannot pay is out, and the last player left wins.

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