In the Danish New Year's Eve custom, people traditionally smash plates against friends' doors.
The practice is associated with showing affection and friendship rather than hostility. A household may save unwanted or old crockery and break it outside the homes of friends or relatives around New Year's Eve. A large pile of broken plates was traditionally interpreted as evidence that a person had many loyal friends willing to visit.
The custom is often described alongside other Danish New Year's rituals, including jumping from a chair or sofa at midnight to “jump into” the new year. Fireworks, festive meals, and the televised New Year's address from the monarch are also important parts of Denmark's celebrations.
Accounts differ about how widespread plate-smashing remains today, and modern celebrations may adapt or omit it because of safety and practical concerns. It should not be confused with the use of champagne glasses during Danish toasts: the distinctive object in this custom is the plate.