First Night of Hanukkah Invitations for 2026

In 2026, Hanukkah begins on the evening of Friday, December 4. That small detail changes how a first-night invitation works. The first candle of Hanukkah and the Shabbat candles are lit on the same evening, guests who keep Shabbat will not drive or use phones after it begins, and the usual "come at 6:30, we'll light the candles" plan does not fit. This guide is about that one evening: how to time it, how to word it and how to invite a group in which some guests are observant and others are not.

For the whole holiday's calendar and invitation text for every night, see Hanukkah invitation wording. If your gathering is a dinner on another night, the guide to Hanukkah dinner invitations fits better. You can also start from one of our Hanukkah invitations and send it as a single link.

Featured TwistInvite DesignsA Season of LightA dark, elegant menorah design that suits a Friday-night Hanukkah and Shabbat dinner.

The dates in one place

According to Hebcal, Hanukkah 2026 runs from sundown on Friday, December 4 to nightfall on Saturday, December 12.

Both the first and the eighth nights fall on Fridays this year, so everything below also applies, with one more candle on each side, to December 11.

Why Friday changes the timing

Many families follow a simple order on a Friday of Hanukkah. The Hanukkah candles are lit first, before sunset, and then the Shabbat candles, because once Shabbat begins no new flame is lit. To make sure the menorah still burns after dark, people use longer candles or more oil than on a weeknight; a common guideline is that the lights should burn until at least half an hour after nightfall.

In practice, that means the lighting happens at Shabbat candle-lighting time, which Hebcal calculates as 18 minutes before sunset. For Friday, December 4, 2026, Hebcal gives these times:

Those are early hours for a party. Guests coming from work will not arrive by 4:10 p.m. in New York, so the invitation has to make a choice: either ask people to come early, or plan the evening so the lighting happens before they arrive and the dinner is the shared part.

Three ways to host the first night

A Shabbat and Hanukkah dinner. The most traditional choice for observant families. Guests who keep Shabbat arrive before candle lighting and usually walk home. The menorah is lit, then the Shabbat candles, then Kiddush and dinner.

An early lighting, then dinner. For a mixed group, the household lights at candle-lighting time and guests arrive at 6:00 or 6:30 for dinner, with the menorah already glowing in the window. Say this clearly so nobody feels they missed it.

A Saturday-night "first party" instead. If your guests mostly want a party, host it on Saturday, December 5 after Shabbat ends and call it the second night. Hebcal lists the end of Shabbat in New York at 5:14 p.m. that evening.

Wording for each approach

Shabbat Hanukkah dinner. Join us for the first candle and Shabbat dinner on Friday, December 4. Please arrive by 3:45; we light the menorah and Shabbat candles at 4:10. Dinner follows. Shabbat shalom and chag sameach.

Mixed crowd, early lighting. It's the first night of Hanukkah and it's Friday, so we'll light the candles at sunset, about 4:10. Dinner is at 6:30 with the menorah in the window. Come for either, or both.

Small family table. First candle, first latkes, first Shabbat of December. Friday the 4th at Mom and Dad's. Be there by 4:00 so the kids can light with Grandpa.

Second-night party instead. Hanukkah starts on Shabbat this year, so our party is Saturday, December 5, from 6:30, after Shabbat ends. Latkes, dreidels and the second candle.

Be explicit about phones and replies

For guests who keep Shabbat, a few practical points belong on the invitation or in a short message the day before:

• Reply before Friday. Ask for replies by Wednesday, December 2, so nobody has to answer on Shabbat.
• Directions in advance. Guests who will not use a phone after sunset need the address and parking details ahead of time.
• Walking distance. If some guests walk, mention whether you can host them overnight or which guests live nearby.
• No last-minute changes. Avoid sending updates on Friday afternoon; observant guests may not see them.

A gentle line covers it:

Please reply by Wednesday the 2nd. We won't be checking messages after 4:00 on Friday.

The food: Shabbat dinner with a Hanukkah touch

Most first-night dinners in 2026 will be Shabbat dinners first: challah, wine for Kiddush, soup and a main course. Hanukkah adds fried food. Latkes are easiest when fried before Shabbat begins and kept warm, since many observant households do not cook on Shabbat. Sufganiyot from a bakery make an easy dessert. If you keep kosher, say whether the meal is meat or dairy; many Shabbat dinners are meat, which means applesauce rather than sour cream on the latkes.

Children and the first candle

The first night is the simplest lighting of the holiday: one candle on the far right, plus the shamash used to light it. That makes it a good night for a child to lead with help. Put it on the invitation if it matters to your family:

This year Noa lights the first candle. Come see her do it at 4:10.

Sending the invitation

For a first-night invitation, send early: by mid-November for a dinner on December 4. Share a TwistInvite link by text or in the family chat. Guests open it in their browser and choose Going, Can't make it or Maybe with no account, and email is optional, so they can reply well before Friday without any setup. If relatives far away want to join by video, note that a call on Friday evening will not work for everyone who keeps Shabbat; the virtual Hanukkah invitations guide suggests weeknights instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the first night of Hanukkah in 2026?

The first candle is lit on the evening of Friday, December 4, 2026. Hanukkah ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12, according to Hebcal.

Do you light Hanukkah candles or Shabbat candles first on a Friday?

The common practice is to light the Hanukkah candles first, before sunset, and then the Shabbat candles. Longer candles are used so the menorah keeps burning after dark.

What time should a first-night Hanukkah dinner start in 2026?

Guests who want to see the lighting should arrive before Shabbat candle-lighting time, which Hebcal gives as 4:10 p.m. in New York and 4:25 p.m. in Los Angeles on December 4. For a mixed group, you can light early and serve dinner later.

Is it better to host a Hanukkah party on Saturday, December 5?

For a party with music and frying, often yes. Start after Shabbat ends, which Hebcal lists at 5:14 p.m. in New York that evening, and call it the second night.

How do guests reply if they keep Shabbat?

Ask for replies by Wednesday, December 2. With TwistInvite, guests open the link in a browser and choose Going, Can't make it or Maybe without an account; email is optional.