A gender reveal is a party held during pregnancy where the baby's sex is revealed to family and friends, usually with pink for a girl and blue for a boy. The tradition started in the USA in the late 2000s and has since spread via social media. The party is different from a baby shower, although the two are sometimes held together.
Dims Studio's own figures: In the period November 2025 to October 2026, 68% of the pink vases sold had pink as one of the colours (more than 90 items sold), while half of the blue vases sold cost under 50 DKK (more than 40 items sold). Both colours are often used for table decorations at a gender reveal.
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Many expectant parents know the term gender reveal from Instagram or YouTube, but aren't quite sure what it actually involves, or how to go about planning one themselves. Here's a short explanation, the background to the tradition and a rundown of how the party is typically planned and held, without dangerous special effects.
What is a gender reveal?
A gender reveal is a party held during pregnancy where the baby's sex is revealed to the expectant parents' family and friends, and sometimes to the parents themselves too. The party often uses the colours pink and blue for a girl and boy respectively, and the reveal itself is usually the highlight of the party. The tradition started in the USA in the late 2000s and has since spread to many other countries.
Where does the tradition come from
An early example of a gender reveal is Jenna Karvunidis, who in 2008 revealed her baby's sex on her blog with a cake, where the colour inside the cake showed whether it was a boy or a girl. Videos of similar reveals can be found on YouTube from 2008 and 2009, but it was around 2011 that the trend really took off. The spread has happened mainly via YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest, where private parties have been shared and seen by a wide audience. Jenna Karvunidis herself has since distanced herself from the trend, which you can read more about under the criticism section.
Gender reveal or baby shower, what's the difference
A gender reveal and a baby shower are two different parties, each with its own purpose. At a gender reveal, the main point is the reveal of the baby's sex itself. At a baby shower, on the other hand, the main activity is giving the expectant parents gifts for the baby, often practical items for the first few months. The two parties are sometimes combined, so guests experience both the reveal and celebrate the parents-to-be with gifts on the same day.
How to plan the party
Before you can hold a gender reveal, the sex needs to be known. This usually happens at an ultrasound scan, typically around week 20 of the pregnancy, so both finding out the sex and the party itself usually fall in the second trimester.
There are two common approaches. In some cases, a third person is told the sex and keeps it secret from the parents themselves until the reveal, and that person then takes care of arranging the party and choosing the reveal method. In other cases, the parents already know the sex, and the reveal is purely for the guests. Whichever approach you choose, a good tip is to keep the decorations ambiguous right up until the moment itself, so both colours are present but no one can guess it in advance.
The reveal and games along the way
The reveal itself is the highlight of the party, and some choose to announce the baby's name at the same time. The most common and safe methods are:
- A cake that's cut open so the colour inside reveals the sex.
- Balloons that are released into the air or popped.
- Confetti or streamers in the revealing colour.
- A piñata that's opened in front of the guests.
- Coloured smoke.
Before the reveal itself, there are often games where guests guess the sex. A classic version is a competition between Team Pink and Team Blue, where guests choose a side on arrival, turning the waiting time into part of the party.
There are several simple methods for the reveal itself, which are easy to compare side by side.
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Cake | Cut open to reveal the colour of the gender inside |
| Balloons | Released into the air or popped |
| Confetti or streamers | In the revealing colour |
| Piñata | Opened in front of the guests |
| Coloured smoke | Shows the colour at the reveal |
Criticism and well-known accidents
The term gender reveal is criticised for being misleading, as it's actually the child's biological sex, not their gender identity, that's being revealed. The parties are also criticised for reinforcing gender stereotypes, among other things through the fixed link between pink and girl and blue and boy. In 2019, Jenna Karvunidis, the woman behind one of the early examples, urged people to reconsider the tradition.
Besides the criticism of the idea itself, dangerous special effects at gender reveal parties have led to several serious accidents. The Sawmill Fire in Arizona in 2017 was started at a gender reveal party where blue powder and Tannerite were used. In 2020, the El Dorado Fire near Yucaipa in California, which destroyed homes and claimed the life of a firefighter, was started by a pyrotechnic effect at a gender reveal party. After the El Dorado Fire, Jenna Karvunidis once again asked people to stop holding this kind of party. These incidents clearly show why it makes good sense to stick to simple solutions like cake, balloons and confetti instead of special effects.
Tip: Keep the reveal simple. A cake, balloons or confetti make just as much of an impression as big effects, without the risk.
Simple ideas for the party itself
You don't need advanced effects to create a memorable moment. Here are a few simple elements you can build the party around:
- Serve the reveal cake on a cake plate, so it becomes a natural focal point when it's cut open.
- Decorate the table with flowers in pink and blue vases, so both colours are present until the gender is revealed.
- Let your guests guess the gender right from the start, for example by choosing Team Pink or Team Blue.
- You can also reveal the baby's name at the same time as the gender, if the parents want to.
Find a cake plate for the reveal cake that can carry the day's biggest moment.
See cake platesFrequently asked questions
What is a gender reveal?
It's a party held during pregnancy where the baby's sex is revealed to family and friends, often with pink for a girl and blue for a boy.
When do you hold a gender reveal?
The party is usually held in the second trimester of pregnancy, after the sex has been determined by an ultrasound scan around week 20.
How can you reveal the gender at a gender reveal?
Common methods include a cake that's cut open, balloons, confetti, streamers, a piñata or coloured smoke.
What's the difference between a gender reveal and a baby shower?
At a gender reveal, the aim is to reveal the baby's sex, while a baby shower is about giving the parents-to-be gifts for the baby. The two parties are sometimes combined.
Who knows the gender before the party?
Sometimes the parents themselves know the gender in advance, other times a third person is told and keeps it secret until they reveal it at the party.
Is gender reveal dangerous?
Common methods like cake, balloons and confetti are safe, but dangerous special effects have previously caused accidents and wildfires, including the Sawmill fire and the El Dorado fire.
Summary
A gender reveal is a simple way of marking that the baby's sex is now known, and the party can be held completely without risk if you choose the classic methods like cake, balloons and confetti. The history of the tradition, including the serious accidents, clearly shows why the simple solutions are the ones recommended.
Read also
- Birthday decorations: ideas for the table and party
- Table decorations: how to build the centre of the table
- Gift for a newborn: keepsakes and great ideas
- Nursery decor: calm, decoration and room to grow
- Baby shower: when, how and decoration ideas
Ready to decorate for the party
Find vases in pink and blue for the table, so the decorations match, whatever the reveal shows.
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