Old plates are traditionally smashed outside Danish homes as a New Year's Eve good-luck custom.
In Denmark, people have traditionally thrown old or unwanted plates and dishes against the doors of friends and neighbors around New Year's Eve. A large pile of broken crockery outside a home was regarded as a sign that the household had many friends and well-wishers.
The custom is often described as a form of playful gift-giving rather than random vandalism. The damaged dishes were items no longer wanted, and the act transformed them into a visible symbol of social connections. Modern accounts note that the practice is less common than it once was, partly because of safety, cleanup, and changing household habits.
This tradition is distinct from Denmark's other New Year's customs, such as jumping from a chair at midnight to “leap” into the new year. The objects are commonly described as plates or crockery; broad retellings sometimes incorrectly say bottles or pottery, but plates are the standard answer for the Danish custom.