Leave Behind the Pink and Blue: 5 Fun Alternatives to a Gender Reveal Party
Gender reveal parties are almost as ubiquitous as baby showers. But despite their popularity, many parents-to-be are uncomfortable with them. Some don’t want to follow societal gender norms by focusing on baby’s sex, while others just aren’t into the vibes.
“I certainly wouldn’t judge anyone who wanted to do it, but it would make me uncomfortable,” says The Bump community member Krista555. “I already have the baby shower, big belly and ultimately adorable baby to attract all sorts of attention. I don’t need another reason for everyone to focus on us and our baby.”
But perhaps you’re not having a baby shower—or you’re just looking for another opportunity to gather loved ones and celebrate your soon-arriving bundle of joy. In that case, there are plenty of gender reveal party alternatives that are just as fun. Ahead, check out some ideas for celebrating your impending arrival without all that pink and blue.
Instead of revealing baby’s sex, how about sharing their name with your nearest and dearest? While some parents want to keep their future baby’s name secret, others prefer to tell family and friends during their pregnancy. There are plenty of creative ways to do so: “You could inscribe the name on a cake or buy personalized M&M’s to give out to guests,” suggests The Bump community member mjr28. “You could make a game of it by putting different baby names under every plate or chair, and whoever got the name you’re using would get a prize,” adds The Bump community member mabamm2007. Or, you could be very Gen-Z about it and host a PowerPoint party, outlining the meaning and reasons behind baby’s name in a presentation.
If you’re part of the astrology-inclined crowd, you can have a little fun with baby’s predicted Zodiac sign based on your due date. (Of course, you won’t know their moon and rising signs quite yet!) You can include star and moon decorations, Zodiac-themed cupcakes and maybe even invite an astrologer to help guests gain insight into their futures.
The 20-week ultrasound is a huge milestone, marking the halfway point of a full-term pregnancy. Instead of planning a gender reveal party, throw a party to share baby’s progress with your close loved ones. Depending on your comfort and desire, you can share the details of your baby’s development and ultrasound pictures. Guests can offer encouragement and provide comfort items (maternity pillows—or tubs of ice cream, anyone?) for your second half of pregnancy.
If you already have other kids, they may feel left out as the focus shifts to a new baby. Rather than have another party centered around your pregnancy, this is an opportunity to give your big kid a bit of attention and help them feel included. Make them feel special by asking guests to bring them books about being a big sibling or small gifts. Invite their friends as well as your own guests, and theme the party around their interests. This will help your other little ones deal with this period of change and get them excited about their new big-sibling role.
For the literary parent, this is an opportunity to expand your baby books library. The possibilities for themes are endless. Dr. Seuss, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Winnie-the-Pooh: whatever children’s book or series you love best. Ask your guests to bring a favorite childhood book and have them share why it was important to them, perhaps inscribing a message in the book. Or they can bring a parenting book they found useful in preparing for their own kids. As a party favor, you could offer guests copies of your most beloved books and help them expand their libraries too!
If you’re a new parent, life with a newborn will be wildly different from anything you’ve experienced. Having a regular adult party will not likely be in your future for a while, so take some time to live it up! Get dressed up, stay out past 7 p.m., make mocktails, dance: Give yourself the gift of some purely grown-up fun before you launch into the early stages of parenthood.
If you prefer a more intimate gender reveal party alternative, gather your chosen family—whether it’s actual family or your most-trusted friends—for a small-group celebration. This is the perfect opportunity to let your nearest and dearest know how much their support means to you throughout your baby journey, and how excited you are to have them take part in your child’s life.
You deserve to enjoy your pregnancy and celebrate baby in the way that you want. So if the colored confetti canons don’t do it for you, there are lots of gender reveal alternatives to consider. Get creative, have fun—and don’t be afraid to break tradition.
Plus, more from The Bump:
Real-parent perspectives:
- Krista555, The Bump community member
- mabamm2007, The Bump community member
- mjr28, The Bump community member
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