Hanukkah 2023: When is Chanukah, what is Hanukkah, how is it celebrated, how to wish someone a Happy Hanukkah

Jewish people across the world are preparing to celebrate the festival of Hanukkah. It's time to dust off your hanukkiah and get ready to enjoy some sufganiyot and get practicing at dreidel.

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated across eight nights, starting on the 25th of Kislev. It is marked by lighting the hanukkiah, exchanging presents and enjoying foods cooked in oil.

Dates for the festival move every year, so when is Hanukkah in 2023 and how can you wish someone a Happy Hanukkah? Here's everything you need to know.

When is Hanukkah 2023?

Hanukkah will begin in 2023 on the evening of Thursday, December 7 and ends eight days later on Friday, December 15. The holiday always begins on the 25th day of the month of Kislev, which is the ninth month in the Hebrew calendar. This means the date can change depending on when the date falls in the Gregorian calendar.

When is the first day of Hanukkah?

Hanukkah will begin in 2023 on the evening of Thursday, December 7.

What is Chanukah?

Hanukkah, also spelled Chanukah, is a festival celebrated by Jewish people celebrating the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its defilement by the Syrian Greeks in 164 BCE. In the Temple, the Menorah, a candelabrum with seven holders to symbolise the seven days of creation, was meant to burn every night, however there was only enough oil left to keep the flame burning for one day. Through a miracle the flames stayed lit for eight nights, allowing enough time for more oil to be made which ensured the lights of the Menorah never went out.

How is Hanukkah celebrated?

Hanukkah is celebrated by lighting a candle on the Menorah, also known as a hanukkiah, on each of the eight nights. It is traditional to see the Menorah in the window of some homes, with families gathering to celebrate lighting the candles throughout the holiday.

Other traditions involve enjoying fried foods including latkes and sufganiyot, which are fried in oil to resemble the miracle of Hanukkah. Children often play dreidel, which is a four-sided spinning top with the Hebrew symbols of nes, gadol, haya, sham, which means “a great miracle happened here”, with the winner getting chocolate coins called gelt.

How do you wish someone a Happy Hanukkah?

If you want to wish someone a Hanukkah greeting, you can do so in English by wishing them a "Happy Hanukkah". If you want to give a Hebrew greeting you can also wish them "Hanukkah Sameach", which means happy Hanukkah or "Chag Sameach" which means happy holidays.