In a traditional Danish New Year’s Eve custom, people break plates to bring good luck.
People historically saved unwanted or old crockery and smashed it against the doors of friends’ and neighbors’ homes at New Year. A large pile of broken plates was interpreted as evidence that a household had many friends and well-wishers. The custom is much less common today, but it remains one of Denmark’s best-known New Year traditions.
Another Danish custom is jumping from a chair or sofa at midnight, symbolically “jumping into” the New Year. These traditions are often presented together with fireworks, festive meals, and speeches. The plate-breaking practice can be confused with the Spanish grape ritual or the Greek custom of cutting a New Year cake, but the Danish tradition specifically involves crockery and social goodwill.