In Denmark’s New Year tradition, people traditionally smash old plates against friends’ doors for good luck.
The custom is associated with throwing or breaking unwanted crockery outside the homes of friends and neighbors. A large pile of broken plates was traditionally interpreted as evidence that a household had many friends willing to visit and share in the celebration. In modern practice, the custom is less universal than it once was and is often presented as a colorful cultural tradition rather than an everyday expectation.
Danish New Year celebrations also include a televised monarch’s speech, festive food, fireworks, and the midnight song “Vær velkommen, Herrens år.” Another familiar custom is jumping from a chair or sofa at midnight, symbolically jumping into the New Year.
The plate tradition can be confused with other New Year customs involving breaking objects or making noise. Its defining detail is the use of old plates or dishes at the doors of friends, not the smashing of bottles or lamps.