Hanukkah falling on Christmas — sometimes dubbed " Christmukkah " — occurs rarely. Christmas and the first day of Hanukkah have occurred simultaneously four times since 1900, according to Hebcal, a Hebrew calendar tracking website. The next time it will happen is in 2035.

Holiday lights may have religious roots, but today they also bring joy to people of all backgrounds, author Eli Federman writes in a Los Angeles Times column.