People traditionally smash old plates outside houses in Denmark on New Year's Eve.
The custom involves saving unwanted crockery and breaking it against the doors of friends, relatives, or neighbors. A large pile of broken plates was traditionally interpreted as evidence that a household had many friends and well-wishers willing to visit it during the celebration.
The practice is often described alongside other Danish New Year's customs, including jumping from a chair at midnight to symbolically leap into the new year. In modern celebrations, many people observe the symbolism less literally or choose safer alternatives because broken ceramics create hazards.
The objects are specifically old or unused plates rather than valuable tableware. The tradition is therefore not a recommendation to damage household possessions indiscriminately, and contemporary environmental and safety concerns have reduced its prominence in some places.