Which New Year's Eve celebration in Denmark includes the tradition of smashing old plates against friends' doors?

The tradition of smashing old plates against friends' doors is associated with Danish New Year's Eve celebrations.

In the custom, people throw or break unwanted dishes at the doors of friends and neighbors. A large pile of broken crockery was traditionally interpreted as a sign that a household had many friends willing to visit and celebrate with it. The practice is a playful form of seasonal symbolism rather than an instruction to damage property indiscriminately.

Danish New Year's Eve also includes a televised address by the monarch, a midnight toast, fireworks, and the eating of special foods. At midnight, many people stand on chairs and jump down together, a gesture popularly associated with “jumping into” the new year.

The plate-breaking custom is often presented as an ancient national ritual, but descriptions and regional practice have varied over time. It is best identified as a Danish New Year tradition, not as a universal Scandinavian custom. Sweden, Norway, and Finland have their own distinctive holiday calendars and celebrations, so neighboring-country answers are plausible but incorrect here.