A gender reveal is still a popular excuse to throw a party for many parents, but for others, the practice seems dated and pointless. Expecting parents, you do you. However, do not feel pressured into having a gender reveal party just because you see everyone else popping blue and pink balloons. A pregnancy lasts nearly ten months and we agree that mothers deserve to have a celebration in addition to a baby shower if they want one. So, what are some party ideas that don’t involve the crushing rigidity of the gender binary?
The months leading up to birth are such an exciting time and it can be hard to just on all that energy. A party is always a good idea and you don’t really need an excuse but a theme or point is always nice! You might have read, “a party is always a good idea” and cringed. We have suggestions for those who aren’t fans of gathering right now too. Here are seven things you can do instead of a gender reveal party.
7. Throw a Non-Gender Reveal Party
Go ahead and go through the motions of throwing a gender reveal party. Invite your friends and family and act like it’s going to be a normal party. Make the center of the reveal the classic cake-cutting. Everyone will expect the inside of the cake to be the usual blue or pink. Here’s where you’re smart though! Make sure the cake for the event is not a gender reveal cake. Just get a good cake you love! No blue or pink, just chocolate or vanilla. You could even go wild and get a rainbow cake to throw everyone way off!
After you slice into the cake, your guests will be curious about what’s inside. You reveal absolutely nothing and then you can happily exclaim, “It’s a secret!” It’s a great way to annoy your relatives and have fun. Your guests will probably feel refreshed if they’ve already attended one of these things.
6. Get Astrological with a Zodiac Party
More and more people enjoy thinking about astrology and the signs and what they all mean. If you haven’t revealed to your friends and family when you conceived (which can be tricky in some circumstances), go ahead and throw a zodiac reveal party. You can reveal which sign your child will be born under. Ask guests to wear a badge with their sign and you can all joke with each other about your most messed up qualities.
5. A Faux Opulent Birthstone Reveal Party
If astrology isn’t your cup of tea, no shame! Throw a birthstone reveal party after you’ve learned your baby’s due date and have guests wear costume jewelry as they sip and mingle. You can ask guests to wear their birthstone jewelry if they have it. Make it a casual yet glamorous event where everyone is expected to talk in posh voices the entire time.
4. Rockstar Reveal Party
Instead of revealing a gender, reveal your baby’s inner rockstar. Have your friends and family come dressed as their favorite iconic musicians. At the party, you can all dance to classic party jams and even do karaoke if you’re feeling it. The reveal portion of the party will come when you and/or your partner spin a roulette wheel. Label the wheel with some of your favorite icons. Think Prince, Stevie Nicks, Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé, and John Lennon. Which icon will your baby be? When the wheel stops, you can party to the songs of your future rockstar.
3. I’m Pregnant, Let’s Party
You don’t have to wait seven months for a baby shower to have a get-together. If you know you’re going to be skipping the gender reveal party, have a pregnancy party to celebrate your achievement. It can act like a pregnancy announcement and happen around the three-month mark. If you find out you’re pregnant at six weeks, that will give you another six to put it all together. Your friends and family will be plenty excited for you and you can serve things like a baby-shaped cake.
2. Take a Parenting Class
If you’re not the partying type and you’re a preparer, go ahead and sign up for a parenting class. You can sign up with or without a partner and the classes will cost you a fraction of what a party would. No, they’re not a fun-for-all but learning how to give a baby CPR sure seems useful. You know it’s way more important than the baby’s biological sex.
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1. Take a Mini-Vacation or a Spa Day
Having a baby is a lot. Pregnancy is a lot. You owe it to yourself to take some time for yourself. Take a small road trip or get a massage. Relax. You don’t have to task yourself with cleaning up after guests when you can take it easy instead. If you’re saving money ahead of the birth, visit a gallery or museum you’ve always wanted to go to. Even if it’s small, do something for yourself as a pat on the back.
If you’re a party person, throw a party and pick whatever theme you want. Celebrate the joy you’re feeling with loved ones around your pregnancy. A baby shower happens way down the line, so you should have a little gather if you want to before then. For others, who are already dreading the baby shower, do something that will make you happy.