In Denmark, some people traditionally throw or break old plates against friends’ doors on New Year’s Eve.
The custom is a playful sign of friendship and goodwill rather than an act of hostility. A household with broken crockery outside its door may be understood as having many friends who visited to wish its occupants well. The practice uses unwanted or old dishes, not valuable tableware.
The tradition is often discussed alongside other Danish New Year customs, including jumping from a chair at midnight to symbolically leap into the new year. People also watch the monarch’s New Year speech and enjoy festive food and fireworks.
Accounts differ on how widespread plate-smashing remains today. It is best described as a traditional or occasional custom, not something every Danish household practices. That distinction matters because modern celebrations vary considerably between families and cities.