The office Christmas party is a glorified Hollywood tradition. Only in the movies do you see co-workers knocking back shots, sitting on mailroom copy machines or (actually) having a good time.

What would traditionally be a HR nightmare is returning like the Ghost of Christmas Past. Holiday office parties are back, and no, I haven’t had too much eggnog.

According to a recent survey, about 42% of companies say they are planning an in-person holiday party this year after one or more years of not, up from just 13% a year ago. In all, more than half of companies (57%) plan to throw a year-end celebration.

“The holiday party has always been a way for companies to show their teams they value them,” says Andrew Challenger, senior vice president of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. “Creating a space for employees to have fun together bolsters morale and connection to their employers and their work, so it really is an important retention and leadership tool for employers.”

With employees working remotely or on a hybrid schedule, the office party is now an important way to connect with colleagues.

Guy Achtzehn, president of Pennsylvania-distributor The Marketing & Sales Group, says, “From a business standpoint, every holiday party needs their management to be the ones serving them. Whether it’s food or drinks, the atmosphere needs to be made via the effort of the bosses. Holidays are a time to serve others — to provide for others. Show your employees that you really do care and, make the atmosphere festive.”

To retain and show appreciation for workers, companies are spending more on these parties. Despite economic worries, 16% of companies are spending more on employee celebrations this year while 37% maintained their party budgets.

Of the partiers, about 70% are planning to hire caterers while nearly two-thirds will serve alcohol. Along with the traditional party shenanigans, companies are adding more activities and experiences.

“If I was going to promote group bonding, I would have groups of employees work together to create “bags of cheer” to give to people who need it,” Achtzehn says. “Whether it be children in the hospital, the houseless or the elderly, companies can choose who they want. Create the bags, as a group, and then as a group, go out and make people smile. That’s what Christmas is about.”

The holidays are also all about food.

“Every office party needs a tower of goodies to share. Towers of ribboned boxed chocolate from Maple Ridge Farms used as center pieces create dimension and interest in any buffet of snacks,” says Rhonda Campagna, president of Georgia-based distributor STG Marketing.

The office party beats group work trips. A recent poll found that corporate Americans (55%) preferred a party. While 14% of respondents were fired the day after their office shindig (don’t black out or flash your boss), 60% say it helped them improve a relationship with a coworker.

But the best parties have an element of surprise. “There is nothing as surprising as an unexpected logoed gift,” Campagna says. “A well-planned gift or invitation in festive packaging creates great suspense that is well worth the effort. Anything in a package brings the kid out in all of us.”

Make your client’s next holiday party memorable with these promo products.

The Ultimate Office Party Tower has 22 gourmet treats packed into nine reusable gift boxes. This tower serves over 50 people. It’s packed full with premium chocolates, fresh-roasted nuts, Wisconsin cheese and sausage, Ghirardelli chocolate squares and more.

Maple Ridge Farms / PPAI 114165, S8 / www.mapleridge.com

Keep party guests’ drinks cool with the Savour Whiskey Stone Set. This set comes with nine freezer-ready basalt stone ice cubes, one drawstring bag and one pair of tongs and is enclosed in a vintage styled hinged wooden box. These ice stones chill beverages without watering it down.

Logomark / PPAI 110898, S11 / www.logomark.com

Help clients get colleagues together with this classic game. This Regulation Size Cornhole Set is perfect for the professional who needs to practice or just some coworkers getting together. It features full color decoration on sturdy wood construction boards, heavy duty bean bags and a carrying case for awesome portability.

Peerless Umbrella Co. / PPAI 112666, S10 / www.peerlessumbrella.com

The Sasquatch Party Bag is 100% waterproof and holds up to 24 cans with ice, so it’s ideal for all outdoor events including hiking, camping, rafting, the beach, a picnic or tailgate. This solar powered backpack has a snap lock at the top, which doubles as a handle and Bluetooth speakers. Perfect for an end-of-year gift, it comes complete with music activated color LED lights.

AAA Innovations / PPAI 110972, S4 / www.aaainnovations.com

Start off the party with powerful sound and a dynamic light show. The Partybox Bluebooth speaker brings a new dimension to any party with the unique dynamic LED lighting, synced to the powerful sound and deep bass. Take the PartyBox wherever you go with the splash-proof design and plug in a guitar and mic for the ultimate immersive experience.

Hirsch / PPAI 221823, S10 / www.hirschpromo.com