Taste Tree is Made Up of 5,000 Spare Porcelain Plates & Cups in Belgium

Everyone has mismatched cups, plates and bowls that don't match their other servingware, but are loathe to get rid of. The creative minds behind Belgian firm <a href="http://www.mooz.be/" target="_blank">MOOZ</a> decided to put all these spare plates and cups to good use as the fabric of the Christmas tree in the town square of Hassalt, Belgium. Enlisting help from friends and local residents, the team collected around 5,000 spare plates and tea cups to build the Taste Tree. The white crockery with blue or gold accents makes for a delicious tree primed for a Christmas feast and perfect for the city, which is nicknamed the "Capital of Taste".

The Taste Tree is a unique Christmas tree made up of upcycled plates and cups sourced from local families.

Inge Vanluyd and Stefan Vanbergen of the creative firm <a href="http://www.mooz.be/" target="_blank">MOOZ</a> noticed they had odd plates and other crockery that didn't match the rest of what was in their cupboards, but found they couldn't just get rid of them.

They also realized that this phenomena was universal and friends and family had the same problem.

Trying to think up a new way to use this spare parts, they though of building a Christmas Tree out of them.

Every year <a href="http://www.hasselt.be/" target="_blank">Hassalt, Belgium</a> enjoys a beautifully decorated tree in their town square, but this year instead of a traditional evergreen, they opted for an upcycled version.

As Hassalt is the Capital of Taste, the tree is named the Taste Tree and is a perfect expression of the city's dedication to food.

The tree is 9 m high and 6 m in diameter and features around 5,000 items of crockery.

The plates and cups were sourced from Hassalt residents who raided their cupboards for odd plates and cups of white porcelain that may or may not include a gold or blue design.

The unique tree has become a destination and a place to enjoy a drink and a chat with friends. The Taste Tree will be on display throughout the holidays until January 6th, 2013.