In Denmark's New Year's Eve custom, what do people traditionally do from chairs at midnight?

In a Danish New Year's Eve custom, people traditionally jump off chairs at midnight.

The leap is symbolic: participants jump into the new year as the clock reaches twelve. It is usually done at home during the midnight celebration, often alongside a toast, fireworks, and the televised speech by Denmark's monarch. The custom is playful, but it also expresses the idea of making a literal transition from one year to the next.

Danish New Year celebrations include other distinctive practices. Some people save old or unused plates and throw them at the doors of friends and neighbors, a tradition associated with friendship and good luck. Many households also serve a traditional New Year's dessert called kransekage, a tower of almond rings.

The chair-jumping custom should not be confused with a national athletic event or an official ceremony. It is an informal household tradition, and participation varies. Safe spacing matters because the leap takes place indoors among furniture and other guests.