NEW YORK, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- The $20 billion a year U.S. business of staging corporate parties is finding 2008 a year of scaling back, various event planners said.
"The foie gras factor is down to zero," said David Adler, editor of BizBash, USA Today reported Wednesday.
"People are hosting more events, but they are less expensive," Adler said.
In part, the message of a holiday party is to look successful or, barring that, at least cheerful.
"A lot of these people attend these parties, and you don't want them to look cheap," said Jeffrey Best who runs Best Events in Los Angeles.
But, author David Tutera said "the big wow factor is gone," this year.
Businesses are adjusting, events planners said. Some are scheduling parties for January or February, when rates are up to 30 percent cheaper than the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's holidays, the newspaper said.
Others are holding informal parties, ducking formalities and opulence.
Employees might find parties trimmed from four hours to three, and paper plates and plastic utensils instead of china and silver flatware, the report said.
