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Holiday 2026

Holiday optical illusions

Original optical illusions for Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa, each with the science of how it fools your eyes. Every picture is drawn from scratch for Opticalillusions.com, and the holiday details follow each tradition.

Wear the illusion34 original designs on tees, hoodies, mugs and postersTees, hoodies, mugs, postersShop now

Thanksgiving illusions

Thursday, November 26, 2026. Stare at a blue turkey and a warm brown turkey with a red, orange and gold tail appears on the white. Try it at the Thanksgiving table.

Thanksgiving Turkey AfterimageInteractiveHoliday illusionsThanksgiving Turkey AfterimageStare at a blue turkey for 30 seconds and a warm brown turkey with a red, orange and gold tail appears.

Chanukah illusions

Begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026 (eight nights). Eight nights of lights, one more candle each night. Two illusions for the menorah and the dreidel.

Chanukah Menorah IllusionInteractiveHoliday illusionsChanukah Menorah IllusionEight Chanukah candles that look tall, short, tall, short. Every one is the same height.
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Spinning Dreidel IllusionInteractiveHoliday illusionsSpinning Dreidel IllusionA dreidel at rest inside rings that seem to turn on their own. Nothing in the picture moves.
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Christmas illusions

Friday, December 25, 2026. A tree that hides in a flashing grid and wrapping paper whose lines refuse to look straight.

Hidden Christmas Tree IllusionInteractiveHoliday illusionsHidden Christmas Tree IllusionA grid full of flashing dark dots, with a Christmas tree hiding in it. Can you spot it?
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Christmas Wrapping Paper IllusionInteractiveHoliday illusionsChristmas Wrapping Paper IllusionGreen and cream checks on wrapping paper that seem to slope. Every line is perfectly straight.
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Kwanzaa illusions

December 26, 2026 to January 1, 2027. Seven candles on the kinara: three red, one black and three green. Two illusions built on those colors.

Kwanzaa Kinara Color IllusionInteractiveHoliday illusionsKwanzaa Kinara Color IllusionThree candles look red, three look green. All six are the very same color.
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Kwanzaa Kinara AfterimageInteractiveHoliday illusionsKwanzaa Kinara AfterimageStare at a cyan, white and pink kinara, then see red, black and green candles appear.
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Halloween illusions (past)

Saturday, October 31, 2026. Stare at a blue pumpkin and watch an orange jack-o'-lantern glow on the wall. Also on a tee, a mug and a poster.

Jack-o'-Lantern AfterimageInteractiveHoliday illusionsJack-o'-Lantern AfterimageStare at a blue pumpkin for 30 seconds and an orange jack-o'-lantern with a glowing face appears.
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Gifts for the season

The Chanukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa designs are available on tees, mugs and posters, printed to order. Order early for delivery before the holiday; see the optical illusion gift guide for more ideas, or browse every design in the shop. Looking for something for the Shabbos table? Try the Shabbos & Yom Tov Illusion of the Week.