After being introduced to the world in 2008, gender reveals now seem integral to having a baby, and there are Countless Gender Reveal Ideas circulating social media! From releasing balloons and cutting cake, to hitting piñatas and placing bets, parents-to-be like to celebrate the Gender of their bundle of joy in unique, special, and sometimes excessive ways.
Many people see baby gender reveal parties as a rite of passage into parenthood, and this comes with immense pressure on expecting couples who are trying to work out how to throw a picture-perfect celebration.
Whilst gender reveals are trending, not everyone enjoys the razzle-dazzle associated with the event, or might even consider the concept wholly problematic. Some may choose intimate gatherings with family or a select few friends, and some may decide to keep the Gender a surprise until the day of arrival!
Whether you like the prospect of a big baby bash, prefer to keep things sweet and simple, or even if you are seeking gender-neutral alternatives, we’ve got you covered. We’ll also be answering questions about gender reveals: why we celebrate them, when’s the best time to plan them, and how did gender reveals actually start?
What Is a Gender Reveal?
Traditionally a Gender Reveal has been a private occasion shared between the two parents, and the Doctor or Midwife. However, in recent years, gender reveal parties have grown in size and popularity.
How do they work?
On the day of a gender revealing party, the expectant parents surprise their friends and family with the Gender of their unborn child, sometimes not knowing the news themselves.
Traditionally, the Gender of the unborn baby is unveiled in a unique display using shades of pink and blue: pink for a girl and blue for a boy. Cake, balloons, or confetti are popular methods for the big reveal, but other ideas might also take your fancy.
Parents can remain fully surprised by nominating a friend or relative to manage the event, or hand over an envelope containing the baby’s Gender to a professional baker, balloon maker, or some other professional in charge of the logistics leading up to the big reveal.
Thanks to technological advancements and the wide array of social media platforms, gender reveals now have a much further reach. Virtually, friends and family worldwide can be part of the big day!
When Is the Best Time To Have a Gender Reveal?
Doctors can usually ascertain the Gender of a growing fetus from around the twenty-week mark, so the best time for a gender reveal bash is after this has been accurately determined. However, occasionally the Doctor or Midwife may have difficulty in identifying the Gender – There are a variety of reasons for this, but the positioning of your Baby is the most common cause.
If the Doctor or Midwife are uncertain of the Gender, book a further appointment in a weeks’ time – Don’t go buying Pink/Blue Confetti just yet!
Who Invented Gender Reveal Parties?
Blogger, law student, and mother Jenna Karvunidis celebrated her daughter’s arrival in 2008 with the first-ever documented baby gender reveal.
In a blog that has since gone viral, the mum-to-be describes cutting into a cake slathered with pink icing. The motivation behind the gender reveal was her love of cake, parties, and the desire to celebrate her eldest offspring’s nearing birth.
Since then, the popularised event has spread like wildfire, with one or two gender parties quite literally culminating in out-of-control blazes! Many Parents have remained conservative when planning these events, however it’s not uncommon for these often flashy and dramatic Gender Reveals to include Fireworks, Animal Shows, Stunts, and other eyebrow-raising displays that could go badly.
Organising extravagant gender reveal parties and finding the most original ways of presenting their little ones to loved ones, family, and followers on Instagram have rapidly become the norm.
However, look below if you want some fun, danger-free ideas that won’t cost your child’s college tuition fund in order to successfully deploy them!
What Are Some Good Gender Reveal Party Ideas?
Hopping onto Instagram or Pinterest, your feed might be inundated with potential gender reveal party ideas.
The wealth of choices, not to mention the potential cost of hosting one, might overwhelm you and add to the stressors of pregnancy and impending parenthood.
Gender Reveals come in all shapes and sizes – Modern, Traditional, Expensive, Budget, Conservative, Wacky – We’ve listed a few of our favourites that we think you will love love.
Releasing Confetti or Popping Balloons
Arguably, one of the most popular party ideas is simply to release blue or pink balloons from a box, or pop a large Balloon filled with pink or blue confetti. Although they create fun, picture-perfect moments that will stick with you forever, both options are a little saturated, and likely to earn fewer points for creativity.
Environmental concerns have previously been raised around the Waste Confetti (and balloons), we therefore recommend Biodegradable Confetti cannons as an eco-friendly alternative. We recommend This Kit as it comes with Two Pink Cannons, and Two Blue Cannons, making it a perfect purchase if you are still unsure of the Gender. All the confetti is fully biodegradable, and is released via compressed air – so no need to worry about starting any fires!
The Cake Reveal
An old faithful; cake is the highlight of most parties. A gender reveal cake that displays the Gender of your child in utero is something else entirely.
Nothing matches that feeling of cutting into your cake as the favourite people in your life eagerly await finding out if you’re having a little girl or boy.
Cupcakes make the ideal alternative if you want a cute, bite-sized treat to cake. The nice thing about having cupcakes is that everyone finds out the Gender of your baby together as they bite down into a delicious baked good for the ultimate, colourful surprise!
Smash Apart a Piñata or Moulding Chocolate
Learning you’re becoming a parent is exciting, but the hormones women experience are less than fun.
Smashing a piñata to smithereens or hammering breakable, candy-filled chocolate into a million pieces will release pink-or-blue treats and any mood-ruining emotions.
Not only will knowing the Gender of your baby make all the intense mood swings and unpleasant pregnancy symptoms worth it, but you’ll also get an endorphin rush eating the contents of the chocolate or the pinata.
Taking Bets for a Prize
It’s not uncommon for friends and family to place friendly bets, putting money on the Gender of the eagerly anticipated baby. Some might be absolutely convinced it’s one or the other.
One woman called Kimberly Jolasun took her family member’s curiosity to the next level by creating a betting pool on the Gender of her baby for a small entry fee. Correct guesses were placed into a raffle to win a small prize.
Today, the woman runs a business centered around pooling bets for gender reveals. If you’re interested in this unique gender reveal party idea, you can look at her website here. It’s a great way of getting everyone involved, including loved ones who aren’t around but want to be part of the excitement.
Have a Themed Gender Reveal
A themed gender reveal party idea could be perfect if you’re Harry Potter-mad or Star-wars obsessed.
You can find out whether ‘bump” is a witch or wizard or on team “Princess Leia” or “Luke Skywalker” with fun accessories purchased online – think billowing cauldrons and sorting hats or illuminating pink-and-blue lightsabers.
What Are the Downsides to Gender Reveal Party?
While some people entering the world of Parenting revel in gender-reveal party ideas, others are less than thrilled at the thought.
Although there’s nothing “wrong” with having one, we can’t ignore the issues they raise.
As the stakes of hosting an unforgettable party grow, the associated risks can rapidly get out of hand or become downright dangerous. Case in point – a gender reveal party in Arizona ended disastrously after a manmade fire burned 47,000 acres of land, causing millions of dollars worth of damage. In other events involving explosives, there have been injuries and close escapes.
Another issue is the crux of gender reveal parties. Many see them as a socially unacceptable way to encourage a gender bias, essentially forcing a gender onto a child before they’re given a chance to enter the world and explore or discover their identity.
It’s also important to remember that Sex and gender are different, with Sex referring to biologically-defined characteristics while gender is considered a social construct. However, for some reason, Sex reveal Parties has never been the accepted term to use!
What are Gender-neutral Alternatives to Gender Reveal Parties?
Uncomfortable with a gender reveal party and want to celebrate the child you’re carrying in a way that isn’t gender-focused? Innovative ideas are circulating the internet that is fun and creative; below are just a few we’ve found.
Kaleidoscope Party
Throw a kaleidoscope-themed party and celebrate all the colours instead of pink and blue. Encourage party-goers to wear rainbow colours and have a rainbow-themed cake.
Name Reveal
Many people wait until the baby’s been born before they tell people its name. If this isn’t a big deal to you, why not reveal your babe’s name at a name-reveal party? That way, friends and loved ones can start referring to your one-on-the-way by its name instead of “bean,” “bump,” or “bun.”
Health Party
Some parents simply opt for a Health Party. A gathering of friends and family, to toast the good health of the Baby, regardless of Name and Gender.
We Don’t Want a Party at All, Is That Fine?
It’s okay to skip the hurrah of a big shindig if you hate party planning or don’t like a big fuss.
If you want to do something small, effortless, and intimate, why not see if you can include some family or a best friend at your 20-week ultrasound appointment, which confirms the Gender? Otherwise, why not go to dinner and find out at dessert? Hand over the envelope to your waiter and ask them to assign the Gender to a particular dessert—for example, cheesecake for a girl and apple pie for a boy.
Finally, If you are old fashioned, simply wait until Baby arrives!
. Identifying the foetus’s Gender ahead of time is relatively new, anyway. For thousands of years, we have put up with old wives tales as our ‘Best Guess’ of what Gender our little one will be!
Ultimately, the choice is yours, and your Friends and Loved ones will happily accept your choice. Just try not to set anything on fire…
If you enjoyed this article, then you may also be interested in our article on Baby Name Ideas. Feel free to check it out!
