After years of cancellations and downsizing, corporate holiday parties are back.

Several surveys of human resource departments nationwide indicate an uptick in planned office holiday parties. This year nearly three-fourths of businesses plan to host a year-end bash, according to a Society for Human Resource Management survey.

Event planners, businesses, caterers and disc jockeys have been feeling the optimism, something they and the human resources group say is a sign that businesses are doing better — and feeling better — as the economy begins to recover.

“With the economy starting to move in the right direction, people and businesses want to be out and celebrating,” said Nicole Salerno, an event planner and partner with Rockit Ranch Productions in Chicago.

LaVerne Mathews, chief experience officer at Chicago-area company L.V. Edwards & Associates, said some of her clients who skipped holiday parties have returned.

“Our old clients who had stopped having the events came back,” Mathews said. “We are refreshing relationships with existing clients.”

Planners said businesses are seeking little extras this year to make their parties special —but extravagance is still a naughty word.

“They’re asking for flowers and photo booths,” Salerno said. “A lot of people were (asking), ‘What else can we do?’ We’ve been doing a lot of adding of special lighting, disco balls. I’ve done a bunch of logo branding on cocktail napkins.”

Matt Windsor, owner of A Posh Production, a Chicago event lighting and DJ company, said he has had the same experience.

“I’ve definitely seen the trend where we’re doing a lot more corporate events and holiday events,” Windsor said. “And recently they’ve been wanting a lot more add-ons: video, lights, screens.”