This year, the 8-day Jewish celebration of Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, begins at sunset on Wednesday, December 25 — the same day as Christmas. This rare overlap, which hasn't occurred in nearly two decades, has led to the emergence of "Chrismukkah," a term popularized by the character Seth Cohen from the American TV series The O.C.
Hanukkah's start date varies each year because the Jewish calendar is based on a luni-solar cycle, unlike the Roman-based Gregorian calendar used by most of the world today. According to Chabad, the Hebrew calendar follows a lunar cycle lasting about 354 days, compared to the solar cycle of 365 days.
"Chrismukkah" refers to the unique coincidence when the first night of Hanukkah falls on Christmas Day. This phenomenon hasn't happened since 2005 and has only occurred five times since 1900. The term "Chrismukkah" was first coined 20 years ago, and today, some households are celebrating the fusion of the two holidays, with greeting cards and decorations acknowledging the occasion.
While the concept of combining Hanukkah and Christmas celebrations is now closely associated with The O.C., its origins date back to the 19th century. German Jews, who were becoming more integrated into mainstream German Christian culture, began adopting Christmas traditions in a secular way and occasionally celebrated both holidays at the same time.
