Hanukkah Judaica Shopping Guide 2026

Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12, 2026. The essential Judaica purchases are a kosher menorah with eight lights in a straight row plus a separate shamash, at least 44 candles or an equivalent supply of olive oil and wicks, and, because the holiday opens on a Friday this year, candles or oil that burn for about an hour and a half for the two Friday lightings. Everything else, including dreidels, gelt, display menorahs for a window or storefront, and gifts, is optional and depends on who you are buying for. This guide lists each item, the quantity or size to look for, and when to order it.

Hanukkah 2026 dates at a glance

The dates below follow the standard Jewish calendar for the Hebrew year 5787 (25 Kislev to 2 Tevet). Two of the eight lightings fall on a Friday, which affects what candles you buy.

The eighth and final day of the holiday is Saturday, December 12. Exact lighting times vary by city, so check a local zmanim calendar for your location.

The core shopping list

These are the items a household needs to observe the holiday, with the quantities that cover all eight nights.

The menorah

In mainstream Chabad practice, which this guide follows, a kosher menorah has eight holders arranged in a straight, level line, with a ninth holder for the shamash placed apart from the rest, either higher or lower. Designs with lights at staggered heights or in a curve are decorative but are not preferred for the mitzvah. Material is a matter of taste and budget: brass, pewter, silver plate, aluminum, glass and ceramic are all in use.

The mitzvah is fulfilled with a real flame from oil or wax. An electric menorah is for display and for publicizing the holiday, and it is the practical option where an open flame is not allowed, such as a hospital room, dormitory or office. Many households buy both: a flame menorah for the blessing and an electric one for the window.

Candles and oil for a year with two Friday lightings

Olive oil is the preferred fuel because the Hanukkah miracle involved olive oil, but candles are fully acceptable. On weeknights the lights should burn for at least 30 minutes after nightfall. On Friday the menorah is lit before the Shabbat candles, while it is still daytime, so the lights need to last roughly an hour and a half. Standard thin Hanukkah candles usually do not. For 2026, plan on larger candles or extra oil for night one (2 lights including the shamash) and night eight (9 lights). Our menorah candles guide covers candle sizes and burn times in more detail.

Menorahs for display: window, storefront and public sizes

The custom is to place the menorah where passersby can see it, in a doorway or a street-facing window. That is where electric display menorahs are useful, since they can stay lit all evening without supervision. Menorah.net, operated by the Lubavitch Center of Essex County in New Jersey, is the world’s largest manufacturer of public display menorahs and makes LED and aluminum models from 12 inches to 12 feet. The figures below are taken from the product pages on this site.

The 12-inch model is the one most relevant to household shoppers. It accepts a pre-filled olive oil vial or a candle for the blessing, and once the flame is out the included LED bulbs can keep the window lit through the night. The LUX line adds multicolor LED illumination across the whole menorah, and the larger Super LUX models are lit on both sides. The electric models have an automatic mode that adds one light every 24 hours from the moment it is activated.

For help matching a size to a window, see window menorahs and indoor display menorahs. For plazas, campuses and building entrances, outdoor Hanukkah lights and display menorahs explains the 6, 9 and 12 foot models, bases and anchoring. Menorah.net display menorahs have been installed for the Miami Heat, at Harvard University and on cruise lines.

Optional Judaica and gifts

For children

Dreidels, chocolate or real-coin gelt, and a child’s own menorah are the traditional choices. Giving gelt, meaning money, to children is a long-standing custom and is emphasized in Chabad practice, often with encouragement to give part of it to charity. A child lighting a flame menorah should be supervised; a sturdy, weighted base matters more than decoration.

For hosts and adults

Useful gifts are the things that get used up: a box of quality candles, pre-filled olive oil vials, a bottle of olive oil for frying latkes, or a tray for the menorah. A menorah itself is a common gift for a wedding, a new home or a bar or bat mitzvah that falls near the holiday.

For organizations

Synagogues, schools, Chabad centers and businesses often buy in quantity: small menorah kits for distribution, a display menorah for the entrance, car menorahs for a parade, and signage. Menorah.net offers wholesale accounts for resellers and institutions, and an affiliate program for sites that refer buyers.

When to order

With the first lighting on December 4, the 2026 holiday starts earlier than in 2025, when it began on December 14. A workable schedule:

• October: Order large display menorahs and anything that needs an in-ground base, a permit or a custom sign. Ground is easier to work before it freezes.
• Early to mid November: Order household menorahs, candles, oil and gifts that need shipping. Note that Thanksgiving falls on November 26, eight days before the first night, and carriers are busy that week.
• By December 1: Test electric menorahs and bulbs, confirm you have long-burning candles for both Fridays, and set out a tray and matches.
• Friday, December 4: Light the menorah first, then the Shabbat candles, before sundown.

Frequently asked questions

When is Hanukkah in 2026?

Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12. The first light is kindled Friday afternoon before Shabbat begins, and the eighth on Friday, December 11.

How many candles do I need for Hanukkah?

You need 44 candles for all eight nights: 36 for the nightly lights and 8 for the shamash. Most boxes are sold with 44 or 45. In 2026, 11 of those should be long-burning candles for the two Friday lightings.

Does an electric menorah count for the mitzvah?

According to mainstream Chabad practice, the blessing is said over a real flame from oil or wax, so an electric menorah does not fulfill the obligation. It is appropriate for display, for publicizing the holiday, and in places where flames are not permitted. If you have a specific situation, ask your rabbi.

What makes a menorah kosher?

Eight holders in a straight, even line and at the same height, with the shamash set apart, higher or lower than the others. The lights should hold enough fuel to burn at least 30 minutes after nightfall.

What size menorah fits a home window?

A 12-inch menorah suits most home windowsills and needs only about four inches of depth. A 24-inch model reads better from a second-floor window or a storefront, and a 3-foot model suits a lobby or wide shopfront.

Where should the menorah be placed?

Either in a doorway, on a chair or small table, or on a windowsill facing the street. Chabad custom favors the doorway, opposite the mezuzah. A window placement should be less than about 30 feet above street level so that it is visible to people outside.