Which Danish New Year’s Eve tradition involves jumping off a chair at midnight?

The Danish New Year’s Eve tradition of jumping off a chair at midnight is called jumping into the New Year.

In Denmark, some celebrants stand on chairs, sofas, or other raised surfaces and jump down as the clock reaches midnight. The action symbolically represents leaping from the old year into the new one. It is a playful household custom rather than a formal ceremony, and not every Danish person follows it.

Danish New Year celebrations also commonly include fireworks, a midnight toast, and the eating of festive food. Another well-known custom is throwing or leaving broken dishes at the doors of friends and family, a practice associated with affection and social bonds. The chair-jumping tradition should not be confused with the widespread idea of making resolutions: it is a physical metaphor for crossing the boundary between years.