Two Festivals of Light:

Hanukkah and Christmas Side by Side

This year, the first day of Hanukkah and Christmas Day will coincide on the same date. This is a rare event that only happens every 30 years or so! We’ve put together some of the differences and similarities between the two holidays. May this year’s “Christmukkah” be a joyful one!

Hanukkah–Maccabees

Against all odds, this small band of guerilla fighters defeated Syrian-Greek King Antiochus IV and all his resources.

Christmas–Messiah

Yeshua (Jesus) supernaturally survived Herod’s death warrant on all boys his age, thereby defeating Herod’s plans: “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’” (Matthew 2:13)

Hanukkah–Epiphanes

Antiochus gave himself the title Epiphanes, meaning “God manifest”—a false claim to be God incarnate. But behind his back, people called him Epimanes, meaning “lunatic.”

Christmas–Immanuel

Yeshua truly is God incarnate: ^“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)
Like Antiochus, He had two names: Yeshua and Immanuel. But unlike Antiochus, neither name was a slur. And like King Solomon’s two names (2 Samuel 12:24–25), one was His name in everyday use, the other (never otherwise used) was reflective of who He was.

Hanukkah–Temple Cleansed

• The Maccabees had to cleanse the Temple before it could be used again for worship.
• The Temple had been defiled by an unholy sacrifice because Antiochus had sacrificed a pig on its altar.
• The Hanukkah story tells us that though the Temple was cleansed and rededicated to God’s service, we only had enough ceremonial oil to burn for one day (it was supposed to burn continually). But it would take seven days to get a new supply. According to the popular Talmudic legend, God supernaturally kept the oil burning for a week until a new supply could be obtained.
• The victory of the Maccabees and the ability to continue worship—not to mention the survival of the Jewish faith—became the basis for this joyous holiday.

Christmas–Temple Completed

• Jesus came into the world to cleanse our hearts and to make us into a temple in which God is worshiped: “We are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.’” (2 Corinthians 6:16)
• As He does so, He cleanses what was defiled through His holy sacrifice: “How much more will the blood of [Messiah], who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:14)
• Like the need for oil in the ancient Temple, even when we are cleansed by Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself, we do not have enough spiritual koyach (Yiddish for power) to live a life dedicated to God. He provides it supernaturally through His Spirit: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)
• The victory of Yeshua over sin and darkness is the basis for why some celebrate His birth.

Hanukkah–Light of Menorah

The shamash or “servant candle” is used on Hanukkah to light the other candles in the menorah (also called the hanukkiah).

Christmas–Light of Messiah

Jesus acted as a servant even as He claimed to be the “Light of the World,” and He gives His light to all who will receive it: “Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Hanukkah–Fried Food

In Israel, it is traditional to eat sufganiyot, special “fried donuts.” Fried foods remind us of the oil that was needed to rededicate the Temple. Many Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe grew up with latkes (fried potato pancakes).

Christmas–Fill in the blank

Messiah unites people worldwide with each culture celebrating Christmas with their own culinary delights. Americans often serve turkey; Italians eat fish and seafood; while Koreans will have barbecued beef. Christmas food is as diverse as the people who celebrate internationally.

At the heart of most Christmas feasts around the world is coming together to celebrate God’s gift of Messiah to us!

This content was adapted from an earlier Jews for Jesus article.