People in Denmark traditionally break old plates outside friends' and neighbors' homes on New Year's Eve. The custom is associated with good luck, friendship, and the number of people willing to visit or celebrate with a household.
Families may save unwanted crockery during the year and smash it at midnight or around the New Year. A larger pile of broken plates can traditionally indicate a wider circle of friends. The practice is especially connected with Denmark, although related traditions involving broken pottery have appeared in other cultures.
The plates are generally old or chipped rather than valuable household dishes. In modern celebrations, some people follow the tradition symbolically or omit it because of cleanup, safety, and environmental concerns.
This custom should not be confused with the Danish practice of jumping from a chair or sofa at midnight, which symbolizes leaping into the new year. Both customs are associated with Danish New Year's celebrations, but they are separate rituals.