There are several similarities between the Jewish Festival of Hanukkah and the Christian Christmas, the fact that they both take place mainly in the month of December being the most obvious. Hanukkah this year starts on Sunday the 18th of December and finishes on Monday the 26th of December. The Christian Christmas really begins with Advent and starts on Sunday 27th of November, until Christmas Eve December the 24th, which is the final day of Advent and then of course it’s Christmas Day. The celebrations for Christmas end on January the 5th which is the twelfth night. Both festivals have certain traditions including lighting a candle each day and sending Christmas and Hanukkah Cards which can be sourced from a specialist company such as https://cazenovejudaica.com/uk/cards/hanukkah-cards.
The solemn daily reading of Scripture is important to both Religions, as is singing special hymns and giving money to the homeless and those less fortunate. The nine candles on the Jewish Menorah symbolise the eight days that the lantern blazed in the Temple and a ninth helper candle to light the others. Christians have four, sometimes five candles that are lit one at a time from the start of Advent every Sunday until Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
Celebrating with family and friends, eating special food, the exchanging of gifts and a sense of Hope, Peace, Love and Forgiveness are certainly integral parts of both Religions. The Jewish Hanukkah and the Christian Christmas are both very important festivals and full of important traditions and beliefs.