Chanukah is an eight-day holiday that begins on the 25th of Kislev. The annual dates of the lunar calendar, used by the Jewish people, occur during the same season as the solar calendar but on various days. Thus, Chanukah usually falls sometime during December, but may begin as early as late November. This year Chanukah begins on the evening of Tuesday, December 24th.
All Jewish dates go from sundown to sundown.
During Chanukah, no eulogies are delivered and fasting is prohibited. Lighting the lamps with pure olive oil and cottonwool wicks is preferred, but other oils and wax candles are also acceptable. One extra light is lit, called the Shamash, and this, set apart from the other eight, is used to light the Chanukah candles. The Chanukah lights themselves may not be used for any purpose other than to commemorate the holiday. The first candle lit is the one on the far right.