Sundown on the night entering the first day is when Hanukkah begins, and the first candle is lit (plus the helper-candle).
The first night of Hanukkah began at sundown on Dec. 1, 2010.
Hanukkah in 2008 starts December 21st at night when the first candle is lit. The first day is December 22 and it runs through December 29th.
The first night was December 1st, 2010. The first Day was December 2.
Hanukkah was first celebrated in 164 BCE, starting on the 25th of Kislev of that year.See dates of Hanukkah for the next couple of decades on this linked page.See also:More about Hanukkah
1996. It was a 32¢ stamp.
"Sunset, December 21 to sunset, December 29 The first Day of Hanukkah was December 22."
The 25th of kislev, 165 BCE.
December 20, 2011
December 2, 2010 is the first day, but the first candle is lit after sundown on December 1, 2010.
The last day has a special name (Zos Hanukkah), but otherwise is no different than any other day of Hanukkah.
They never happen at the same time. The latest Diwal can start is mid November. The absolute earliest date Hanukkah can start is the last few days of november, but 90% of the time, it starts in December. A calendar of Diwali dates shows that it won't even be close to Hanukkah (with two weeks of each other) for at least the next 50 years.