At Denmark's New Year's Eve celebration, people traditionally throw or smash old plates against friends' doors.
The Danish custom is known as plate-smashing or plate throwing. People save unwanted crockery and, after midnight, break it outside the homes of friends or relatives. A large pile of broken dishes was traditionally interpreted as a sign that the household had many loyal friends willing to visit and celebrate with it.
The practice is a form of symbolic good-luck ritual, although its popularity and form vary among Danish communities. Modern celebrations may use fewer dishes than older accounts suggest, and some people prefer safer or less destructive alternatives. It should not be confused with the Danish custom of jumping from a chair or sofa at midnight, which symbolizes leaping into the new year.
Denmark also has distinctive New Year's foods and speeches, including the monarch's annual New Year's address. Customs can differ by household, but old plates remain the classic object associated with this tradition.