What is a Gender Reveal Party?

Gender reveal parties are on the increase, especially in the UK. They are a great way to gather family and friends to announce the sex of your baby and to set the preparations off officially.

Of course, it isn’t everyone’s choice to want to know the sex of their baby; yet with curiosity, excitement and eagerness of a new arrival, what a fantastic way of getting organised: from clothing, the design of the nursery, to even initiating a deeper bond between parent(s) and baby. And, if there’s any excuse to get your loved ones together, why not take it, and share the joy of the exciting news with those closest to you?

Who hosts a gender reveal party?

Usually, the soon-to-be parents host the event. This may take place at their own home, a loved one’s house, or a hired venue. Guest numbers and catering obviously need to be considered to ensure guests are comfortable, and of course to witness the anticipated moment of the reveal.

When do you do the gender reveal party?

Parents may discover the sex of their baby as soon as 16 weeks if they pay for a private ultrasound scan, but the NHS may offer this between 18-21 weeks in the anomaly screening. It is worth considering that the position of the baby may prevent the sex being identified on the day (you may be asked to return at a later date). Many couples may decide to “double-check”, thus avoiding planning the date of the gender reveal party immediately after the scan(s).

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Who is invited to a gender reveal party?

There are no set rules when it comes to the guest list. A small intimate event with close family and friends, or a gathering on a larger scale, is all down to preference. Due to gender reveal parties being a newer tradition, it might be worthwhile for your guests to receive a heads-up on what to expect, as some may have never attended one before. Will the guests receive an invitation through the post or electronically? Will there be a theme? Do they need to bring anything? What time will it start and end? Is there a specific itinerary? Be sure to be clear to your guests before they arrive.

What normally happens at a gender reveal party?

There are so many great ideas for gender reveal parties, and these may start with a set theme. Traditionally this might be pink and blue themed - guests may turn up in pink or blue clothing to establish their guess at the gender, for example. There might be blue and pink decorations, though some opt for a neutral colour theme. Other popular themes may include princesses and princes; cowboy or cowgirl; bows or bowties; lashes or ‘staches; senor or senorita; trucks or tiaras; Minnie or Mickey Mouse. There are so many excuses to get creative! “Pampers”state “The best idea is one that suits your and your partner's personality, and which you can easily tie in with the invitations, food, and decorations.” Ultimately, whichever theme you decide upon may determine the itinerary of the day. Guests might be greeted by a refreshment that is keeping with the theme of the day, and food served either throughout, or at a set time. The hosts may choose to plan some games in line with the theme again, or perhaps even to ‘break the ice’ amongst their guests. Do keep in mind, however, that organised fun can be people’s idea of the opposite! Prizes are always a good idea to make it more fun and competitive. However, the main event is the actual reveal, and there can be a number of exciting ways to make it one to remember, such as gender reveal fireworks.

Image source: Whatmomslove.com

How should I reveal the gender of my baby?

Both parents may already know the gender of their baby from the sonographer at the scan, yet it might be only one parent, in order to organise and plan the party accordingly. If both parents want to share the surprise with their guests, the sonographer will happily and discreetly write this down in a sealed envelope. This means whomever is trusted enough to keep the secret can also help with the planning and ordering of items for the party.

Again, there are so many ways to reveal the gender of the baby in that anticipated moment. If you have other children, this is a lovely way of getting them involved in the celebrations and discovering if they are going to have a baby brother or sister. Popping a personalised balloon is a popular one, as well as a pinata, the cutting of a cake or cupcakes, or passing the parcel. If you really wanted to get the party off with a bang, a spectacular display of (pink or blue) fireworks is an extraordinary way to announce the gender of your baby.

A range of gender reveal fireworks can be found here on our website, from handheld smoke plume fireworks, to show-stopping displays of compound fireworks. The excitement created would be unmatched, as your guests would wait for those bursts of pinks or blues.

Image source: Chorlton Fireworks

What is the best time of day for a gender reveal party?

If you opt for the firework reveal, it would be sensible to time your party so that guests can fully indulge in the stunning hues that flare up in the sky. As the reveal is the climactic event of the day, you might time this so that it falls into the evening anyway. Otherwise, alternative ways of revealing the gender of your baby to your guests may depend on the actual guest list. If there are children attending the event, you may be best keeping the party to afternoon hours, yet there are many vibrant ways within the firework range that are still optional. Vivid colour smoke grenades will put the pop of colour into your daytime celebrations, if you wanted to keep with the firework theme. There are also many other options that are designed with daytime celebrations in mind.

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Are Gender Reveal Fireworks better than Gender Reveal Balloons?

It is completely up to the hosts what sort of party and atmosphere they want to create, and the guests themselves actually contribute massively to this. Yet it goes without saying that a firework display to announce the gender of your baby would be very special indeed.

Whilst balloons are beautiful and there are so many ways to utilise them, opening a box and allowing them to lift into the air, and/or popping them to reveal the gender, can be so exciting. With fireworks, however, you are able to be entertained for longer than a quick ‘pop’ of a balloon’. Some of the bestsellinggender reveal fireworks displays last for 95 seconds, allowing you to ‘take in’ the revelation whilst enjoying being entertained alongside your guests. It is no surprise that the Next Generation Compound fireworks product is a bestseller; the initial display leaves the audience in suspense with the neutral silver effects, before the ‘pink’ or ‘blue’ patterns emerge for the gender reveal part of the fireworks. Your guests will certainly be left with lots to talk about.