What is the traditional Danish New Year's Eve custom involving old plates?

A traditional Danish New Year's Eve custom is smashing old plates against friends' doors.

In the custom, people break unwanted dishes outside the homes of friends or neighbors. A large pile of fragments is traditionally interpreted as evidence that a household has many friends and well-wishers for the coming year.

The practice is one of several Danish New Year traditions, alongside jumping from a chair at midnight to “leap” into the new year and eating celebratory foods such as boiled cod or marzipan ring cake. Customs can vary by family and region.

The plate tradition is often described as friendly rather than hostile: the broken dishes are not meant as an insult or a threat. Modern safety, cleaning, and environmental concerns have made the custom less universal, but it remains one of the most recognizable New Year's Eve customs associated with Denmark.