Smashing plates is the Danish New Year’s Eve tradition of throwing old dishes at friends’ or neighbours’ doors.
In the custom, people save unwanted plates and other crockery, then break or throw them at the entrances of friends and family on New Year’s Eve. A large pile of broken dishes outside a home is traditionally interpreted as a sign that the household has many loyal friends.
The practice is linked with older Danish ways of marking the transition into a new year, including clearing out unwanted household items. It is not a universal activity in modern Denmark, and contemporary celebrations also commonly include a festive dinner, champagne, and the televised New Year’s speech by the monarch.
The tradition can be confused with the separate custom of jumping from a chair or sofa at midnight. That leap symbolizes entering the new year, while dish-breaking is a social gesture directed toward other households.