In Denmark, plates are traditionally thrown at friends' doors on New Year's Eve for good luck.
The custom involves saving unwanted dishes and breaking or throwing them against the doors of friends, neighbors, or family members. A large pile of broken plates outside a home is traditionally interpreted as evidence that the household has many loyal friends and well-wishers.
The practice is a folk custom rather than a universal requirement of Danish New Year's celebrations. Modern celebrations also commonly include fireworks, festive meals, champagne, and the midnight broadcast of the Danish monarch's New Year speech.
The tradition can be confused with ordinary vandalism because the action is performed at doors, but its customary meaning is celebratory and social. It is also described in varying ways: some accounts emphasize smashing dishes, while others describe leaving broken crockery outside friends' homes. The key object associated with the custom is the plate.