Denmark is the country associated with smashing old plates on New Year's Eve.
In a Danish New Year custom, people may throw or break old plates and dishes against the doors of friends' homes. The broken crockery is associated with friendship and good fortune: a large pile can traditionally suggest that many people have visited or shown affection.
The practice is often described as a folk custom rather than a universal behavior. Contemporary celebrations vary considerably, and many Danish households do not follow it. It should not be confused with the separate Danish tradition of jumping from a chair at midnight, symbolically leaping into the new year.
Danish New Year's Eve also commonly includes a televised royal speech, festive meals, champagne, and fireworks. Customs can differ between generations and regions, so accounts of plate-smashing should be understood as a recognizable tradition, not a compulsory national ritual.