At sundown tonight, Hanukkah—or the Festival of Lights, as it’s often called—will begin, as Jews around the world light the first candle on their menorahs, exchange gifts, spin dreidels, and participate in the merriment of this joyous holiday.
Hanukkah commemorates the successful revolt of the Jews led by Judah Maccabee against the oppressive government of Antiochus IV and the Seleucid Empire in 165 B.C.E.
Hebrew for “dedication,” the tradition of Hanukkah relates how a miracle took place during the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, which had been desecrated. The remaining supply of sacramental oil, thought to be enough for only one day, burned for eight days.
The eight days and nights of Hanukkah begin on the 25th of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, a date that falls in late November or December on the Gregorian calendar.
Since 1996, the Postal Service has issued four stamps celebrating Hanukkah. The Hanukkah stamp issued this year, conceived by art director Ethel Kessler and illustrated by artist Suzanne Kleinwaks, is the first to be released as a Forever® stamp. Each stamp features its own stylized understanding of the images important and iconic to the Jewish holiday and the merry spirit of the eight days and nights.
Happy Hanukkah!
USPS Stamp of Approval 