Christmas and first day of Hanukkah coincide for the first time since 2005 [Video]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As people wrapped up Christmas festivities, Hanukkah celebrations were just getting started. 

This year, Christians and Jewish families are celebrating at the same time. Having Christmas and the start of Hanukkah on the same day is a pretty rare occurrence. It’s only happened four times in the last hundred years. The last time was 2005.

Hanukkah always begins on the 25th night of the ninth month on the Hebrew calendar, which also happens to be Dec. 25 this year on the solar calendar.

Hanukkah, known as the festival of lights, commemorates the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after a small group called the Maccabees defeated the Greek Syrian army. During the battle, the Jews had only enough oil to light the Temple’s menorah for one night, but the oil lasted for eight.