Earlier this month, one of the state's large pharmaceutical companies ditched tradition and transformed a hotel ballroom reserved for its holiday party into a mock casino with poker, blackjack and roulette tables.

And employees at Robert Half International's three sales offices in New York are counting down the days to their holiday celebration: a 90-minute scavenger hunt ultimately leading them to a bar at Manhattan's Union Square for snacks, drinks and gifts.

"Many of the larger companies don't have the traditional parties they used to have," said Andrew Borkin, president of Strategic Advancement, a human resources consulting firm in Piscataway. "It became drudgery."

Now, holiday office parties are taking themes, featuring elaborate entertainment as well as decadent desserts. Of course, a holiday party is a reflection of more than a company's personality: It is also a gauge of its business during the past year.

For some companies, that means scaled-down celebrations or employee contributions to help foot the party bill. Some companies no longer invite spouses and children. Others host a party for employees in-house to help contain costs.

At Merck, the pharmaceutical company facing an avalanche of lawsuits over Vioxx and the prospect of 7,000 layoffs, employees will keep to their tradition of marking the holiday with a buffet lunch in the company cafeteria, a stately dining hall overlooking the woods.

"Companies are always going to be budget-conscious," Borkin said. "Liability has also played a huge role in changing the holiday party."

Now, companies are more likely to offer employees transportation than they are to offer them a gin and tonic.

"When I first got into this business 13 years ago, I used to wonder how many people got fired after the office Christmas party," said Frances Schott, who owns Stage Left, an upscale restaurant in New Brunswick which hosts mostly small, elegant holiday gatherings. "It seems to me the parties are getting much more civilized."