Hanukkah always starts on the Hebrew calendar date of 25 Kislev, and lasts for eight days. The Hebrew calendar does not line up with the western calendar because it has a completely different leap year system that can shift holidays each year by to 11-28 days.
Here are the coinciding secular dates for the upcoming years. The candle lightings begin on the evening BEFORE the first date:
2011: December 20-28
2012: December 8-16
2013: November 27-December 5
2014: December 16-24
2015: December 6-14
Hanukkah can start on any day of the week except Tuesday.
There is no special ending for the celebration of Hanukkah.
Hanukkah starts with the lighting of a special candle holder called a Chanukiah (Hanukkah-menorah).
In 2011, Hanukkah began on the evening of December 20
2011: December 21-29First candle lighting was on the evening of the 20th. The last was on the evening of the 28th.
Jerusalem, Israel.
There is no specific Hanukkah party. Some people have parties on Hanukkah and some don't. If there is a party on hanukkah, it can be on any one of the 8 nights, at any time.
This year (2011) the first candle was lit on Dec. 20. The eighth and last night of Hanukkah candlelighting will be on Dec. 27.
Yes. All Jewish holidays end at sunset.
December 17, 2012
Hanukkah begins on the 25th of Kislev. This is at the end of November or during the month of December.
Hanukkah began on Wednesday, November 27 in 2013, and ended on Thursday, December 5 in 2013.