In Denmark, New Year's Eve is called Nytårsaften.
The Danish word combines nytår, meaning “new year,” with aften, meaning “evening.” Danish New Year celebrations include a televised address by the monarch, festive meals, fireworks, and midnight gatherings. A traditional phrase heard at midnight is “Godt nytår,” meaning “Happy New Year.”
One custom associated with Danish New Year is throwing or breaking old plates and dishes near friends’ or neighbors’ doors. Historically, a larger pile of broken crockery was interpreted as a sign of having many friends. The practice is less universal today than it once was, and modern celebrations often emphasize organized fireworks and social gatherings instead.
Denmark also has a distinctive midnight ritual involving a chair: some people jump from a chair or sofa as the clock strikes twelve, symbolically leaping into the new year. The plate tradition should not be confused with ordinary littering; where it survives, it is a playful custom involving unwanted dishes and later cleanup.