What is a Gender Reveal Party? Answering All Your Questions
If you're currently pregnant with your firstborn, or there wasn't all this talk about gender reveals during your last pregnancy, you might be getting yourself into a tizz over this extra thing you have to think about. But we're here to answer all your questions, starting with, what is a gender reveal party?
Taking you through the pros, cons, norms, and ideas, you should have everything you need to know about gender reveals in a matter of minutes. All you have to do is keep reading…
What is a Gender Reveal Party? What's the Big Deal?
So, if you're sitting there questioning, 'What is a gender reveal?' Or perhaps you're just thinking, 'What is all the fuss about?' Don't worry, we've got the answers.
A gender reveal party is a celebration where expectant parents find out the sex of their baby, with their friends and family surrounding them.
Gender reveals became popular in the US in the late 2000s, slowly making their way over the pond to the UK, where more and more parents are hosting and having surprise gender reveals hosted for them.
Typically, the baby's gender is revealed during a creative surprise, but we'll talk more about that later.
Other than that, it's a day of socialising, games, food, and getting excited about the new addition to the family!
Not everybody wants a gender reveal (and that's absolutely fine, too), but lots of parents feel the need to celebrate the milestone.
So, it isn't necessarily a 'big deal', but to some parents, finding out the gender of their baby means the world.
Gender Reveals: The Full Run-Down
If you’ve read through our helpful list of pros and cons, and you’ve decided a gender reveal is for you, we’ve got some typical questions new parents might ask surrounding their big day.
Achieving a perfect gender reveal is easy when you have all the information and know exactly what you’re doing. So, take some notes and let’s get into it.
When Should I Throw a Gender Reveal Party?
It’s typical for parents to throw gender reveal parties anytime after their 18-20-week scan because this is the time most parents find out the gender of their baby.
It’s not really possible to do it anytime before this because it won’t be accurate. Of course, you can wait a little longer after the scan if you wish. You have plenty of time until the baby's due date, so there’s no harm in waiting.
How Much Should a Gender Reveal Party Cost?
This is down to the parents-to-be and will vary from family to family. Where one family might like to keep things low-key, another family might like to pull out all the stops to celebrate their baby’s gender.
There is no set rule about gender reveal costs; it’s about what you and your family want out of the gender reveal and what your budget allows for.
Who Usually Throws a Gender Reveal Party?
Again, there are no set rules, but there are a few options here that you might want to discuss with your partner before you begin planning the day.
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Option #1: Plan the celebrations yourself and take control right from the beginning. You’ll be able to have your say on everything (sometimes a blessing and a curse), so nothing you’d like featured at your party will be missed. The only downside is that you might have to learn your baby's gender instead of finding out at the party with everyone else because you’ll have to plan the reveal. The surprise will not be a surprise for you, it’ll be a surprise for our guests. |
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Option #2: Ask a trusted family member or close friend to do the planning for you, and let the stress of planning melt away. Of course, this won’t be ideal for stress levels if you crave control over your parties. If you opt for this method of planning, you’ll be able to participate in the reveal and be surprised along with guests. So, not only will you be stress-free, but you’ll also get to enjoy the element of surprise and adrenaline that comes along with that. |
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Option #3: Hybrid plan your baby shower. Take the best bits of both options, aka, plan your own baby shower and ensure everything is up to your standard. But when it comes to the actual reveal, ask a friend or family member to take the reigns. All you’d have to do is ask your sonographer to write your baby's gender in an envelope and give it to your trusted person. |
Having a Christmas Gender Reveal? Check Out Our Ideas
What Is Gender Reveal Party Etiquette?
Gender reveal parties are still relatively new concepts, so the etiquette you should follow isn't exactly clear. But, we’re going to do our best to guide you on the ‘norms’ of gender reveals…
Clothing
This is really down to what (if any) dress code you’ve set for the day. If you haven’t set any, you should aim to dress smartly. You could even add a pink and/or blue element to your outfit if you want to feel on theme.
Ladies, we’d recommend a casual dress or a skirt and blouse. Gentlemen, we’d recommend a shirt and some cargos/jeans. Nothing too formal, but you don’t want to go too low-key, either.
Invitations
Remember, gender reveal parties are deeply personal events, so don't feel pressured into inviting anyone and everyone.
You should only invite who you wish to celebrate with, and if that's just a few friends and family, that's okay.
For your invites, you can use social media, text, email, or send out physical invites. It doesn’t really matter, as long as you invite those most important to you.
Gifts
Don’t expect every guest to bring you a present because actually, not many people know what to do in this situation like they would at a birthday party. So, don’t be disheartened if you aren’t brought something by everyone.
If you are brought something, though, expect it to be something small, like a keepsake or a gift for the parents instead of the baby. Remember, baby showers tend to be where people give gifts to the baby, not gender reveals.
However, you should expect a card. It’s polite to bring a congratulatory greeting card to a gender reveal. Most people are likely to do this, but again, if somebody doesn’t, don’t take it personally; they probably didn’t know.
Food & Drink
Whether you’d like food or drink at your gender reveal is completely up to you and will depend totally on your budget, venue, and party length.
But a word to the wise, if you throw your party anytime from 11 am-2 pm, it’s likely your guests will expect some kind of food and drink.
If You Like to Have Games At Your Reveal, Check This Out
Pros & Cons of Announcing Your Baby's Gender
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Pros |
Cons |
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It's a fun celebration! Parents-to-be get to mark the occasion and enjoy their news with close friends and family. |
Gender reveal parties can be costly and an extra expense to your already huge list of things you'll need before the arrival of your newborn. |
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Everyone will hear your baby's gender simultaneously, so no one will feel like they were left out. |
Conversations surrounding gender fluidity are becoming more and more prominent, and gender reveal parties can be seen as outdated whilst conforming to gender norms. It is the idea that you are subjecting your unborn baby to gender before they're even born, and to some communities, that can be seen as damaging. |
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A gender reveal party is more of an inclusive celebration, whereas a baby shower tends to focus on the mum-to-be, her girlfriends, and female family members. |
Gender reveal parties, especially videos of the reveal, can create toxic spaces online. One parent could be thrilled with the news, and the other might be noticeably disappointed. This can cause an abundance of trolling and unwanted opinions. |
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It can help parents feel closer to their new baby. |
Friends or family who weren't invited could feel angry and annoyed, which could be stressful for expecting parents. |
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If you're having a hard time with your pregnancy, planning a party can be a great way to distract yourself from your worries and stresses, especially if you keep it low-key. |
It can be seen as an unnecessary stress for parents-to-be. They already have so much to deal with during pregnancy that added pressure could be damaging to their health. |
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If you've been through a miscarriage and are pregnant with your rainbow baby, finding out the gender can be a huge milestone that you might never have reached before. This is something to celebrate. |
Finally, you could simply give birth to a gender you weren't expecting. A scan cannot be 100% accurate, so you could end up with a bigger surprise than you first thought! |
Final Thoughts: Gender Reveal Parties
If you've made it to the end, we hope we've given you some food for thought about gender reveals and have made your lives as expecting parents that little bit easier.
We just want to remind you that it's okay not to have a gender reveal. Everyone has different preferences, and even if it is the 'in' thing to do right now, it doesn't mean you have to follow along.
For those beginning their gender reveal party journey, have fun with it! These exciting memories will last a lifetime.
