How to Light the Hanukkah Candles: Order, Blessings & 2026 Schedule

Updated October 2026 with the 2026 Hanukkah schedule.

Which candle goes where, and which one do you light first?

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, remembers the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabees' victory, and the small jar of oil that lasted eight days. That's why we light one more candle each night until the whole menorah is glowing.

Hanukkah Candle Order, Step by Step

1. Set up the candles from right to left. On the first night, put one candle in the far-right holder. Each night, add one more candle to the left of the last one. (Right to left, just like reading Hebrew.)
2. Add the shamash. The shamash is the "helper" candle in the raised or set-apart holder. It gets a fresh candle every night, and it doesn't count toward the eight.
3. Light the shamash and hold it while you say the blessings. (Many Sephardic families light the candles with a separate candle or match and light the shamash last.)
4. Light from left to right. Start with the newest candle (the one you added tonight, furthest left) and move right.
5. Put the shamash back in its spot and enjoy. Many families sing Ma'oz Tzur ("Rock of Ages") after lighting.

So on night three you'd have three candles on the right side of the menorah, light the shamash, say the blessings, then light candle three, then two, then one.

The Hanukkah Blessings (Hebrew, Transliteration and English)

Say the first two blessings every night. Add the third, the Shehecheyanu, only on the first night (or the first night you light this year).

1. The blessing over the candles (every night)

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

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha'olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav, v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner Chanukah.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who made us holy with His commandments and commanded us to light the Hanukkah candles.

2. The blessing for the miracles (every night)

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

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha'olam, she'asah nisim la'avoteinu, bayamim hahem bazman hazeh.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days, at this time.

3. Shehecheyanu (first night only)

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

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha'olam, shehecheyanu, v'kiy'manu, v'higianu lazman hazeh.

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

Some families say la'avoteinu v'imoteinu ("our fathers and our mothers") in the second blessing. Go with whatever your family or community does.

Hanukkah 2026 Candle-Lighting Schedule

Hanukkah 2026 runs from sundown on Friday, December 4 to nightfall on Saturday, December 12. The first and last candles both fall on Friday nights, so you'll light before Shabbat twice.

Exact lighting times depend on where you live. Check your local sunset and Shabbat times before each Friday night.

When to Light the Hanukkah Candles

On regular weeknights, light the menorah after dark (some families light at sunset). The candles should burn for at least 30 minutes after nightfall (or at least 30 minutes from when you light them, if you light later in the evening), so make sure your candles are long enough.

Friday night: Hanukkah candles first, then Shabbat

Lighting Shabbat candles traditionally marks the start of Shabbat, and no new flames are lit after that. So on Friday, light the menorah first, shortly before you light your Shabbat candles (which are usually lit 18 minutes before sunset). Because you're lighting early, the candles need to keep burning until at least 30 minutes after dark, which is often an hour and a half or more. Standard Hanukkah candles burn for an hour at most and won't last that long, so this is the night for larger candles or an oil menorah.

Saturday night: wait until Shabbat ends

Don't light the menorah until Shabbat is over, after nightfall. Customs differ on whether the menorah or Havdalah comes first at home, so follow your family's tradition.

Where to Put Your Menorah

The point of the menorah is to share the miracle, so traditionally it goes in a window facing the street or by the front door (on the side opposite the mezuzah). Set it on a heat-safe surface, away from curtains, and never leave lit candles alone with kids or pets.

How Many Hanukkah Candles Do You Need?

44 candles covers all eight nights: 36 for the nights themselves (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8) plus 8 for the shamash. That's why a box of Hanukkah candles holds 44, or 45 with a spare (like all of the boxes below). For the two Friday nights you'll also want 11 longer-burning candles (2 on the first night, 9 on the last) or an oil menorah, since regular Hanukkah candles won't last until after dark.

Handcrafted Rainbow Hanukkah Candles · $15.95 Blue, Light Blue and White Premium Hanukkah Candles · $15.95 Hand-Dipped Beeswax Hanukkah Candles, Assorted Colors · $28 Happy Chanukah Multicolor Hanukkah Candles - 45 Pack · $14

Does It Matter What Menorah You Use?

Any menorah works as long as the eight lights are in a straight row at the same height, with the shamash set apart (higher, lower or off to the side) so you can tell it from the others. After that, pick whatever you love. A beautiful menorah is part of the mitzvah, and so is a pickle-shaped one, if that's what makes your family smile.

Handmade Pickle Menorah · $98 Gold Floral Lily Menorah · $95 Hand-Painted Sushi Menorah · $42 Green T-Rex Dinosaur Menorah · $55

Shop all menorahs, or see our favorite menorahs for kids.

Can You Use an Electric Menorah?

Electric menorahs work well in dorms, hospitals, offices, apartments with strict rules, or a second menorah glowing in the window all night. Most rabbis say an electric menorah doesn't fulfill the mitzvah of lighting, so you don't say the blessings over it. If you can, light a candle or oil menorah too.

Electric Colorwave Menorah · $80 Go Menorah™ - Light It Anywhere, Navy · $16 Silvertone Electric LED Menorah · $43

See all electric menorahs.

After Hanukkah: Cleaning Up the Wax

Eight nights of drips add up. Our guide to how to clean a menorah covers wax removal without scratching. Then go play some dreidel.

Hanukkah Candle FAQ

Which way do you light a menorah?

Put the candles in from right to left, adding one new candle each night on the left. Light them from left to right, so the newest candle is always lit first.

What is the Hanukkah candle order?

Night one: one candle on the far right. Each night after that, add the next candle to its left. Light the shamash first, say the blessings, then use the shamash to light the newest (leftmost) candle and keep going to the right.

How many candles do you need for all 8 nights of Hanukkah?

44: 36 Hanukkah candles (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8) plus a new shamash every night. That's why candle boxes hold 44, or 45 with a spare.

When does Hanukkah start in 2026?

Hanukkah 2026 starts at sundown on Friday, December 4. The last (eighth) candle is lit on Friday, December 11, and the holiday ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12.

What do you do on Friday night of Hanukkah?

Light the Hanukkah candles first, before sunset, and then light the Shabbat candles. Use candles big enough to burn until at least 30 minutes after nightfall. In 2026 this happens twice: on the first night (Dec 4) and the last night (Dec 11).

What if I miss a night of Hanukkah?

You can't make it up by lighting extra candles. Just light the correct number for that night when the next night comes. If you missed the first night, say the Shehecheyanu blessing the first time you do light.

Can you use an electric menorah?

An electric menorah is great in a window, a dorm or anywhere open flames aren't allowed. Most rabbis say it doesn't fulfill the mitzvah, so you don't say the blessings over it. If you can, light candles or oil too.

Can you blow out Hanukkah candles?

Not until they've burned for the minimum time: 30 minutes after nightfall, or 30 minutes after lighting if you light later. After that you may put them out, though many families let them burn down on their own. The exception is Friday night: it's Shabbat, so let them burn out.

Chag Sameach, and happy lighting!