FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Christmas is synonymous with Dec. 25 - but this year, so is Hanukkah. The Jewish holiday typically has a different start date each year, but Hanukkah and Christmas have fallen on the same day four times in the last century. Hanukkah, however, does not follow the same calendar as Christmas. “For us, it's the same day every year, the Hebrew month and day. It's the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev. That's a lunar calendar and it doesn't correspond every year with the Gregorian calendar,” Temple Beth Israel Rabbi Rick Winer said. The alignment of Hanukkah and Christmas made Winer reflect on the origin of Hanukkah.  Giant wreath placed on Nation’s Christmas Tree in Fresno County “Thousands of years ago, when the ancient temple in Jerusalem was destroyed and desecrated. The Maccabee soldiers were able to rally and push them out and came to victory. The legend says that they only found enough sacred oil to light the lamp that needs to be lit in the temple for one night. But it lasted eight, and that was a miracle. And so we celebrate for eight nights,” Winer said. Winer says through the years, he has noticed more people celebrate multiple religious holidays. “You have people who have always celebrated Christmas with the Christian side of the family and in Hanukkah, with the Jewish side of the family and back and forth,” Winer said. For Winer's family, they are looking forward to beginning Hanukkah with the lighting of the menorah. “There are a couple of prayers that are said when we light it, short prayers that we typically sing. And that's the key that just lights the Hanukkah menorah. Along with that, people will sing songs, play games, the dreidel game, and then it's traditional to cook foods using oil,” Winer said. And, Winer also has some Christmas day plans. “We are following one of the classic traditions of many in the Jewish community throughout America. So our family will be going to the movies and getting Chinese food,” Winer said. Hanukkah will take place until Jan. 2, 2025.