For for the first time since 2005, the first night of Hanukkah falls on the same day as Christmas.

According to Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, the two winter holidays meet on average five times per century.

Since 1900, the first night of Hanukkah has fallen on December 25th five times: in 1910, 1921, 1959, 2005 and now 2024. The first night of Hanukkah, which begins on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev, changes from year to year the Jewish calendar is based on a lunar calendar based on how long it takes the moon to orbit the sun. The lunar calendar is about 354 days long, unlike the 365-day solar calendar, which indicates the time it takes for the Earth to revolve around the sun.

This shorter lunar calendar means that Hanukkah, which lasts eight nights, begins eleven days earlier each year. Hanukkah can begin as early as Thanksgiving, but Elie Weinstock, president of the New York Board of Rabbis, points out that the festival of lights always takes place in winter because Jewish tradition requires the holiday to occur at specific times of the year.

To accommodate this, the Jewish calendar has leap years, which add an additional 13th month. “The way it works is that the sun has exactly the same position in the moon every 19 years,” says Weinstock. “There are seven leap years in this 19-year cycle.”

While Hanukkah and Christmas are celebrated by different religions, both religions share similar messages regarding the need for more kindness and peace around the world. “It is a mitzvah to bring light into the world. When you look at Christmas, it’s all about bringing light and love,” Potasnik says. “We both believe we have a special obligation to light this world with love and kindness.”