A guide to office parties in a downsized season.

After a year in which firms dropped the holiday party faster than an endorsement by a scandal-plagued golfer, the tradition is back in 2009. According to a poll of event planners in October by BizBash, an events-industry magazine, 72 percent said they were planning a seasonal celebration, while only 11 percent said their companies had ruled out a party.

Party-goers will notice a few changes this time around, though. Instead of hopping in a Town Car to a hip new lounge or glitzy banquet hall, many worker bees will just have to hop on the elevator and head to the cafeteria. The BizBash poll showed that around a quarter of respondents plan to keep their celebrations in-house. If this sounds austere, that's just the start. Companies are axing touches like signature martinis, goody bags, and afterparties to cut costs and avoid looking frivolous. Here’s a quick guide to a downsized season.

­­Time: This year's parties are earlier and shorter, says Kevin White, production director at Empire Force Events. All-night bashes have been replaced by glorified happy hours. Full dinners have been truncated to cocktail receptions, and some companies are moving to an "open house" format. It sounds cozy and welcoming, but it's really just designed to get guests in and out faster.

Bites: Caviar and shellfish, two iconic symbols of corporate prosperity, are endangered species in 2009. $35-per-head raw bars featuring oysters and lobster are out; mini grilled-cheese sandwiches and crudités have moved in. Groaning buffet tables and sit-down dinners have been passed up in favor of passed hors d'oeuvres. While butler service may look upscale, it’s really a tactic in portion control. Instead of a six-foot tower of cupcakes (served by Hearst in 2007), those with a sweet tooth will have to make do with a cookie and a shot glass of milk—doled out, once again, from a butlered tray.

Booze: Three years ago, Sex and the City-inspired takes on the cosmopolitan were hot, and there was no ingredient too exotic to be shaken or stirred, according to San Francisco caterer Paula LeDuc. Now she says companies are asking her to create cocktails using wine. Other event pros report that retro quaffs like mulled wine and punch are in demand this year. As for champagne, that's been banished. What's more, many companies have put the kibosh on open bars that run for the whole event. Alternatives include an open bar for only the first hour, or one or two drink tickets per employee.

Entertainment: Companies that used to hire bands are downgrading to DJs this year; those that used to book DJs are firing up iPods, says Kelley Gillespie, owner of GEM Events. Howard Givner, CEO of Paint the Town Red, recalls a client that dropped $75,000 a few years ago to have a famous choreographer create four custom dance performances for guests. This year, that company is spending $3,000 on a dancer who dresses up in a mirrored suit and bills himself as a "human disco ball."