Although yesterday's U.S. presidential election will calm some of the general uncertainty nagging at financial markets, the outlook for the corporate holiday party business remains bleak.

Nearly 50 percent of respondents to an online poll from Special Events last week said their holiday party business will be off by more than 40 percent this year compared with 2007. Fourteen percent predict a shortfall of 40 percent or less, while 9 percent predict a fall-off of 30 percent or less. Eight percent say their business will be down by 20 percent or less. A total of 4 percent say business this year will be about the same as last, and 12 percent expect a boost in business this year.

HELP THE ECONOMY--HOST A PARTY!

Event planner Stacey Paul Barabe, CSEP, head of Orlando, Fla.-based Exhilarate, responded to a recent editorial in the Orlando Sentinel praising Florida law firms that have canceled their holiday parties to send money to charity with this post: click here.

Special Events has added an article-commenting feature to articles on its Web site. You can post your thoughts beneath each story (see below).

Attention, event rental pros: Is the sour economy leading you to considering discounting your goods and services? Tell us in our online poll, which appears on the right of our Web page beneath the Resource Center.

Photo by iStockphoto.com

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• Economy