In a Danish New Year’s Eve tradition, old plates are smashed against friends’ or neighbors’ doorsteps.
The custom is associated with affection, friendship, and good luck rather than hostility. A larger pile of broken dishes was traditionally interpreted as evidence that a household had many friends willing to celebrate with it. People commonly saved unwanted crockery for the purpose, then broke it outside homes around New Year.
The practice is one of several Danish customs connected with the holiday. Another is jumping from a chair at midnight, symbolically leaping into the new year. Many modern celebrations, however, adapt or abandon older customs because of noise, cleanup, safety, or changing household habits.
The object is specifically plates, not the drinking glasses used for a midnight toast. Descriptions can vary by family and region, and the tradition is less universal in contemporary Denmark than televised countdowns, fireworks, and social gatherings.