I've heard that the Jewish holiday Hannukah is celebrated around the same time as Christmas, at the end of the year. However, don't Jews follow a lunar calendar, not the solar Gregorian one typically used? If so, shouldn't holidays like Hannukah be celebrated at a different date than around the same time as Christmas?

I'm bringing this up because being Muslim, I usually celebrate Ramadan (the month of fasting) and two holidays or feasts (or Eids as they're called). These dates follow with the Hijri calendar, which follows the lunar cycle instead of the sun. The dates we celebrate differ from the solar calendar and appear like their on different days on the Gregorian calendar, e.g. Ramadan is always 10-12 days earlier every year (I think, best if you double check me on that). I thought it might be something similar for Judaism since I thought Jews have a lunar calendar. I could be wrong, of course.

This isn't meant to insult anyone or start a flame war. It's just I haven't thought of before, and I thought I just mention it. It doesn't include just the three monotheistic religions, but Hinduism, Shintoism, etc., since they probably have their own calendars to mark their own religious holidays.

-W.S.

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Jews use a Lunar/Solar Calendar with some years having 12 months and other years having 13 months. This keeps their calendar within about a fortnight of the tropical year. I recommend that you try WikiPedia:

Lunisolar Calendar