Nytårsaften is the Danish name for New Year's Eve, a celebration associated with traditions including smashing old plates. In the custom, people may throw unwanted crockery at the doors of friends or family, with the broken pieces traditionally interpreted as a sign of friendship and popularity.
The Danish celebration also includes a televised royal or national address, festive meals, champagne, fireworks, and the midnight song “Vær velkommen, Herrens år.” Many people watch the clock at Copenhagen City Hall Square or follow the midnight moment at home. Individual customs vary, and plate-smashing is less universal today than popular descriptions sometimes suggest.
Nytårsaften literally means “New Year's Eve.” Denmark also has a familiar tradition of jumping from a chair or sofa at midnight, symbolically jumping into the new year. These customs show how celebrations can combine formal national rituals with playful household practices. The plate tradition should not be confused with the Spanish grape custom or Scottish first-footing, which use different symbols and timing.