ATLANTA — For only the fifth time in more than 100 years, Christmas Day and the first night of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, fall on the same day.
While Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are always the same dates, Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, the dates for Hanukkah change every year.
The reason for the different dates is that the Jewish calendar is based on a lunar cycle, rather than the secular Gregorian calendar. So on some years, the eight day festival can start on Thanksgiving or even on New Year’s Day.
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The previous years the holidays fell on the same day were 1910, 1921, 1959 and 2005. It won’t happen again until 2027, according to the calendars’ dates.
For 2024, Hanukkah starts on Christmas Day and ends on Jan. 2, meaning for families that celebrate both holidays, they get both joyful traditions, and add in New Year’s celebrations all during the same eight-day stretch.
While families all have different ways they celebrate the holidays, there are certain things common for Hanukkah.
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Families celebrating the festival typically light what’s called a Chanukiah or Menorah, a multi-stemmed candelabra. There are nine candle spots, with a new one lit each night, though the first night actually starts with two candles.
One candle represents the night of the holiday, one through eight, while the ninth is meant to be used as a “helper” candle or Shamash (shaw-MOSH).
The holiday itself in Hebrew means “dedication,” marking the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after it was freed from an invading force.
The lighting symbolizes a miracle of the holiday from the olden days, where tradition says the Jews needed enough oil to light a candelabra in a destroyed temple, but the oil burned for eight nights instead.
For the holiday now, when families light the Menorah, they place it so the candlelight can be seen from windows to spread to the world.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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