People traditionally smash plates outside friends’ and neighbors’ homes in Denmark on New Year’s Eve.
The Danish custom involves saving unwanted or old plates and throwing them against the doors of people one wishes well. A large pile of broken crockery is traditionally interpreted as evidence that the household has many friends. The practice is a playful form of goodwill rather than an act of hostility.
Another Danish New Year custom is jumping from a chair or sofa at midnight. Participants symbolically “jump into” the new year, often while the clock strikes twelve. Festive food, fireworks, and the televised New Year’s address from the Danish monarch have also become familiar parts of the holiday.
The plate-smashing custom is less universal and less common in modern Denmark than it once was. It is often discussed alongside similar traditions elsewhere in Europe, but the Danish version is especially associated with leaving broken dishes at someone’s door. It should not be confused with breaking a glass for a wedding or other ceremony.