How to Host a Modern, Organic Thanksgiving With Recipe Ideas

Chalkboards add a playful decorative element to any get-together. They're not only inexpensive but also can be used repeatedly for different holidays and family events. Put your creative skills to work by writing "Happy Thanksgiving" on yours and displaying it near the spread to get guests in the holiday spirit. Have friends and family pose by the chalkboard sign for a souvenir photo op.

Take your Thanksgiving table to the next level by making your own rustic (and nearly free!) runner. Easy to craft — and a perfect project for kids to help with — this runner adds to the table's outdoorsy feel and can be rolled up and stored away for use year after year.

No fall meal is complete without a piping-hot bowl of soup. A spiced-up version of the Thanksgiving favorite, this curried butternut squash soup is a warm and creamy addition to your meal. Serve in a large footed tureen and let guests serve themselves.

Create a gorgeous place setting using pieces that are rustic and autumnal yet still have a modern edge. Wooden chargers are the perfect anchor for a sleek white dinner plate and bowl while vintage gold flatware adds glitz and natural linen napkins work any time of the year. Keep in mind that the dinner plate and bowl needn't be from the same set — mixing and matching color and texture adds to the table's organic feel.