As New Year’s Eve approaches, the usual traditions easily come to mind. We might watch the ball drop in Times Square or fumble through the lyrics of Auld Lang Syne. Perhaps we’ll write down resolutions in a journal, or sign up for a new gym membership. But this year, people all over the internet are doing something new. They’re smashing plates.
This absolutely viral trend is taking over TikTok and other social media platforms, offering a physical way to release the baggage of the last twelve months. If 2025 felt heavy, this ritual can be a great way to shatter that weight into a thousand pieces, and step into the future feeling lighter.
The Art of Letting Go
Like most trends that take the internet by storm, this one is simple and easy. You take a plain white plate and a black Sharpie. In the center, write “2025” in big, bold letters. Then, fill the surrounding white space with everything you want to leave behind.
Think about the things that held you back this year. Maybe it was a toxic relationship that dragged on too long or a bad habit you just couldn’t shake. Perhaps it was anxiety, self-doubt, or a specific event that caused you grief. You write these words directly onto the ceramic surface. Seeing your struggles written in black and white makes them tangible. They stop being vague feelings floating in your head and become concrete objects that you can break into a thousand pieces.
Once your plate is full of the year’s burdens, find a safe spot to smash it. The sound of the shattering ceramic is jarring and strangely satisfying. It can signal that those words no longer have power over you. They are broken, done, gone. You, however, are still standing, and ready for whatever comes next.
A Viral Sensation with a Responsible Twist
This trend has exploded on TikTok as the countdown to 2026 begins. Users of all ages are filming themselves in parking lots, empty playgrounds, or garages, ready to break their ties with the past year. As we see sharp ceramic shards go flying, it can be easy to cringe, knowing it’s almost impossible to clean up all those sharp bits.
One video captures the plate-smashing trend perfectly, but also demonstrates a great tip for how to do this responsibly. A creator named Cydney (@_cydneyc) shared a clip that has racked up over 300,000 likes. In the video, she and her best friend stand outside at night. They aren’t just holding bare plates, though. They are holding their plates inside of sturdy ziploc bags. After a quick hug, they throw the bags onto the ground, ceramic shattering inside the plastic. A caption over the video reads “your sign to write what your leaving in last year on a plate, and smash them with your bsf”.
The comments section on the video was filled with over 9,000 comments, chiming in about leaving the old year behind. Viewers loved the emotional release, but especially appreciated the lack of mess. By keeping the plates in bags, Cydney and her friend ensured no dangerous shards were left behind for cars to drive over or animals to step on. “I love how respectful you guys were abt it and put it in bags and cleaned it up”, said one.
Other comments highlighted just how much people need this release right now. Users joked about wondering if there was a maximum plate limit, since 2025 was such a difficult year for so many. The communal aspect of the comments section shows that while our struggles are personal, the desire to start fresh is universal.
Still another comment suggested that since all the plate pieces were contained in bags, it would be easy to turn them into art, and frame it, as a reminder of everything they’re not going back to.
@_cydneyc left it where it belongs: 2025🤗 sorry for the typo🫣 #xyzbca #teamwork #relatable #trending #smashplates ♬ Outro – M83
Participating in the trend is easy and inexpensive. Head to a dollar store or a thrift shop to find a cheap white plate. Grab a permanent marker and find a quiet space to reflect. Fill that empty space with everything you’re looking to leave behind.
If you choose to do this with a friend, it can be a bonding experience. Take a cue from Cydney and put your plate inside a heavy-duty trash bag or a canvas sack before you smash it. This catches all the debris and makes cleanup instant.
Find a hard surface like concrete or asphalt. Take a deep breath. Visualize all the negativity flowing from your body into the bagged plate. Then throw it down with everything you have.
Walking Into 2026 Light and Free
There is something ancient and primal about breaking a tangible thing to mark a transition, drawing a line in the sand between who you were and who you are becoming.
As you sweep up the bag of broken pieces and toss it in the trash, visualize yourself discarding the old. 2025 had its moments, both good and bad, but it’s about to be over, and you survived. That shattered plate is proof that you have the power to break through barriers and let go of what no longer serves you.
Stepping into 2026 with empty hands and an open heart just might feel a little easier with this viral trend that lets you smash your cares away, leaving them behind with the old year.
