Assimilation no doubt played a role in making Hanukkah the commercialized holiday it is today. But other factors shaped the modern festival, too, a scholar of Jewish studies and gender explains.

The holidays are extra special this year. Not only is Dec. 25 Christmas, but it marks the beginning of Hanukkah. This particular alignment of the holidays is rare. In fact, it has only occurred four other times since 1900,

The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, or Chanukah — the Festival of Lights — is underway. It began at sundown on Wednesday, Dec. 25 and will continue into the beginning of 2025. On eight consecutive nightfalls,

For the first time since 2005, the first night of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah falls on Christmas Day. And some families across North Texas will be celebrating both holidays at the same time this year.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, the British royal family gave us an abundance of holiday cards (Meghan Markle's was particularly noteworthy), a caroling concert hosted by Kate Middleton and the reveal of the hardest working royal of 2024.