Gender Reveal Party?

[huhwhat]

I find it sad how self involved people are becoming.....everything has to be a big event..... so not about the baby, so mucg about getting attention.

 

[Sparkly]

An interesting and rather cute idea.

People will throw parties for everything these days. "I changed my toilet paper! LET'S PARTY!" "Let's cut the cake to see which brand! Ooh, Charmin! Congratulations!"

 

[Anastasia]

I feel like a grumpy old lady, but I agree that it seems self absorbed to me. It is a very cute idea, but why not do the same thing, and just do it at the baby shower?

My nephew and his wife will be having one, which is very surprising to me, because neither of them likes being the center of attention

 

[CandleontheWater]

I don't understand all the sour grapes about this. If someone invites me to a party (and its someone I like), I'm happy to get to go to a party. I enjoy socializing and cake is always a plus. What is the harm in them telling you the gender of their child at a party. These parties are not gift grabs, they are just parties.

If it was a barbeque for no real reason, or a cocktail party to get together with friends and they happened to mention the gender of their baby in conversation would you all still find fault?

 

[Mamakop]

I don't understand all the sour grapes about this. If someone invites me to a party (and its someone I like), I'm happy to get to go to a party. I enjoy socializing and cake is always a plus. What is the harm in them telling you the gender of their child at a party. These parties are not gift grabs, they are just parties.

If it was a barbeque for no real reason, or a cocktail party to get together with friends and they happened to mention the gender of their baby in conversation would you all still find fault?

This! I totally agree!!

 

[sookie]

My sister in law is a little difficult and apparently was never told "NO" growing up. They just announced they were expecting a baby in April. We are truly happy for them. We were also told that we "MUST" attend a Gender Reveal Party in December. I had no idea what that was but Google was able to enlighten me. But I am still confused--do we bring a gift?

I was thinking about sending an Edible Arrangement or maybe giving them some kids books? Are we supposed to give a gift? She invited 80 people so I thought the Edible Arrangement may help....any ideas?

I think these parties just seem like another gift grab to me.

I know, I am really jaded these days. It just seems like people are so - gimme, gimme, gimme when it comes to weddings and babies.

 

[NYCDiane]

RIDICULOUS!!! Absolutely ABSURD!

A 'gender reveal' party??? Why not just let everyone know via an email blast w/a sonogram pic attached and not turn it into an excuse to put people on the spot where they feel they must bring a gift or cash or gift cards?

This isn't about 'sharing' the gender of the new baby. It's about "look at me" "give me" and "all eyes on us".

If they wanted to keep it a secret until "the big reveal", they could have waited until the baby shower.

 

[Fueledbycoffee]

We had this as one of the games when my BFs threw a shower for me & DD (baby 2). We had a traditional ultrasound earlier in the week and then didn't tell friends the results. The shower was the following weekend. Friends brought gender neutral gifts. I decorated my belly with pink dots & showed her off midway during the shower. It was about 9 years ago, fun and an excuse for BF to throw a shower when they weren't common for 2nd babies!
Bonus: I added an extra surprise and also gave them an invite to our 1st home that we bought that week without telling most of them! The look on BF's face when I said I had an extra surprise was priceless!

 

[Patience]

Self absorbed? Why is it self absorbed to have a party with no gift giving expected or required? Is it self absorbed to have a housewarming party, an engagement party, a baptism party for a child, or a retirement party? I have been invited to all of those and I didn't once think the honoree was self absorbed. Life is hard enough- I think it's wonderful to celebrate its happier moments with those you care about and I think it's sad that people can't even host a party (no gifts required!) to announce whether they are having a girl or a boy without being thought of as self absorbed. Really? Why be so cynical? Joy is joy. Share in it if you want to, stay home if you can't be bothered.

 

[brandihead2012]

I threw my girl friend one, she loved it, her family loved it. We split the party up by who thought it was a girl boy and then we played games all day and annouced the suprise before gifts were given. It was a good turn out and people just brought diapers.

 

[HM]

I guess I'm really old school, but this party concept just seems strange to me.

I didn't know the gender of either of my children until they were born. And I liked that. My doctors didn't do any ultrasounds on me and used them sparingly in their practice, only for health concerns.

 

[mrsklamc]

I think these parties just seem like another gift grab to me.

I know, I am really jaded these days. It just seems like people are so - gimme, gimme, gimme when it comes to weddings and babies.

It's not a gift giving party. It's just a party.

 

[luvmy3]

We were also told that we "MUST" attend a Gender Reveal Party in December.

I don't understand all the sour grapes about this. If someone invites me to a party (and its someone I like), I'm happy to get to go to a party. I enjoy socializing and cake is always a plus. What is the harm in them telling you the gender of their child at a party. These parties are not gift grabs, they are just parties.

If it was a barbeque for no real reason, or a cocktail party to get together with friends and they happened to mention the gender of their baby in conversation would you all still find fault?

Doesn't sound like an invitation to me, it sounds like an expectation. And you can't compare a get together (for no real reason, in your words) where someone mentions the sex of a baby to a party specifically held to announce it.

Self absorbed? Why is it self absorbed to have a party with no gift giving expected or required? Is it self absorbed to have a housewarming party, an engagement party, a baptism party for a child, or a retirement party? I have been invited to all of those and I didn't once think the honoree was self absorbed. Life is hard enough- I think it's wonderful to celebrate its happier moments with those you care about and I think it's sad that people can't even host a party (no gifts required!) to announce whether they are having a girl or a boy without being thought of as self absorbed. Really? Why be so cynical? Joy is joy. Share in it if you want to, stay home if you can't be bothered.

Because not every one of someone's happy moments has to be celebrated. A simple announcement to family and close friend, face to face, by telephone, FB or even email is okay to do, really it is. I assume this woman is planning on having a shower, what happened to that being the celebration of a baby on the way
In this day and age it just seems so many people need to make things about them, they need to have attention on them. This kind of party SCREAMS that IMO, so yes I think these are very self absorbed people that demand someone come to their "gender reveal party".
Where do we draw the line, what is next a conception party. Hey we are planning on starting a family soon, we want you all to come by for a party while we go upstairs and start!

 

[mrsklamc]

Some people just like parties. I'm not one that does, and I wouldn't throw a party like this and probably wouldn't attend one.

Doesn't mean anyone who does is self absorbed or seeking attention. Maybe they just really like throwing parties.

 

[luvmy3]

Some people just like parties. I'm not one that does, and I wouldn't throw a party like this and probably wouldn't attend one.

Doesn't mean anyone who does is self absorbed or seeking attention. Maybe they just really like throwing parties.

Maybe, but people can just throw parties by inviting people over to get together, have some food and fun. The minute you make the party about something, in this case a gender reveal, you are doing it for "selfish" or "self absorbed" reasons IMO.
So yes if I got an invitation I would think the person wants attention for the fact that they are having a baby, not that they just want to get together. But hey, to each his own. People are free to throw parties for whatever they want, just as people are free to think whatever they want about why they do.

 

[Patience]

Doesn't sound like an invitation to me, it sounds like an expectation. And you can't compare a get together (for no real reason, in your words) where someone mentions the sex of a baby to a party specifically held to announce it.




Because not every one of someone's happy moments has to be celebrated. A simple announcement to family and close friend, face to face, by telephone, FB or even email is okay to do, really it is. I assume this woman is planning on having a shower, what happened to that being the celebration of a baby on the way
In this day and age it just seems so many people need to make things about them, they need to have attention on them. This kind of party SCREAMS that IMO, so yes I think these are very self absorbed people that demand someone come to their "gender reveal party".
Where do we draw the line, what is next a conception party. Hey we are planning on starting a family soon, we want you all to come by for a party while we go upstairs and start!

Who's demanding? It's an invitation. Come if you want, no gifts required or expected. Do you feel the same about graduation parties, engagement parties, retirement parties, birthday parties and housewarming parties? After all, those parties are are all about somebody else and are not just get togethers but are held for a specific reason, aren't they? I think it's sad that people have become so cynical that they view every invitation with suspicion or think that a party invitation is nothing more than a gift grab or a ploy for attention.

Regarding baby showers, to me they are not so much a celebration of the baby on the way as they are to help the mother prepare for the baby by "showering" her with gifts for the baby. I would find it crass for a mother-to-be to host a baby shower for herself. Usually, showers are hosted by others on behalf of the mother to be.

 

[ariel71]

We are asking guests to wear either pink or blue clothing to signify their best guess as to the gender of the baby.

While your other ideas seem light-hearted enough, IMO the above is the kind of over-the-top aspect that turns what could be fun into an annoying obligation that makes people roll their eyes. Just have them "vote" with pink or blue jelly beans when they get there.

 

[4GoofyCrew]

I wouldn't bring a gift, it isn't a shower just a party.

And there is no 'must' go. That is a rude way to invite people. Whatever happened to 'we request the honor of your presence' and stuff like that?!?!

 

[luvmy3]

Who's demanding? It's an invitation. Come if you want, no gifts required or expected. Do you feel the same about graduation parties, engagement parties, retirement parties, birthday parties and housewarming parties? After all, those parties are are all about somebody else and are not just get togethers but are held for a specific reason, aren't they? I think it's sad that people have become so cynical that they view every invitation with suspicion or think that a party invitation is nothing more than a gift grab or a ploy for attention.

Regarding baby showers, to me they are not so much a celebration of the baby on the way as they are to help the mother prepare for the baby by "showering" her with gifts for the baby. I would find it crass for a mother-to-be to host a baby shower for herself. Usually, showers are hosted by others on behalf of the mother to be.

I don't know who is doing the demanding, but the OP was told the "must" attend. That isn't an invite, that is an expectation from whoever told her she must go. Was it the host, I have no idea, the OP didn't say.

As far as a shower, yes I get the traditional meaning, but its a celebration of a baby nonetheless, and therefore there doesn't need to be another party thrown in celebration. I wonder if these people will also throw baby's first movement party, or "I'm finally wearing maternity clothing, what size will I be" party. I mean years ago who would have thought there'd be gender reveal parties?
And yes I am cynical, and the reason is because more and more parties like this keep coming into vogue.

And no I don't feel the same about those other parties, unless you invite me to a graduation party, but before that I get the "what color mortarboard is Jr going to be wearing" party. Or if you invite me to a housewarming party and a landscaping reveal party too. You get the idea.....

 

[momof1princess]

DD15's band director and his wife had a gender reveal party for their 3rd baby a week or so ago. it was really just his wife and her friends, i think.

the reason it was considered to be so special is that the baby is a girl, and she will be the first baby girl born into band director's side of the family in several generations, so they're pretty excited.

even though they have 2 sons already, we're considering throwing them a baby girl shower, from the entire band, just so they'll have some baby girl stuff (clothes, shoes, etc.).