A traditional Danish New Year’s Eve custom involves smashing old plates and dishes outside friends’ or neighbours’ homes.
The practice is associated with expressing friendship and goodwill. A household that found broken crockery at its door could interpret the pile as evidence that it had many friends willing to take part in the tradition. The dishes used were generally unwanted or old rather than valuable everyday tableware.
Another Danish New Year’s custom is jumping from a chair or sofa at midnight, symbolically “jumping into” the new year. These practices are distinct from the plate tradition, although both may be mentioned in descriptions of Danish celebrations.
The custom is often presented as a universal Danish activity, but traditions vary by family, generation, and region. Modern celebrations may preserve the idea in symbolic or limited form because smashing objects creates noise, mess, and safety concerns. The canonical name for the action is smashing plates, not throwing gifts or exchanging crockery.