when did gender reveal parties became a thing
Gender reveal
The gender reveal party can be seen as an analogue of the baby shower , which also employs the trope of pink ( denoting a female ) or blue ( denoting a male ) to designate gender . However , it is typically held earlier , near the moment , formerly private , when parents learn the baby 's predicted sex . Gender reveal parties also typically are open to men and women , unlike the traditionally all - female baby shower . The rise of the gender reveal party seems `` inextricably tied to social media . '' YouTube searches report that there are `` more than 500,000 videos of expectant couples slicing cakes , setting off smoke bombs and bashing piñatas to expose one of two colors : pink or blue '' . Other methods include the release of balloons from a box . 
The gender reveal party can be seen as an analogue of the baby shower , which also employs the trope of pink ( denoting a female ) or blue ( denoting a male ) to designate gender . However , it is typically held earlier , near the moment , formerly private , when parents learn the baby 's predicted sex . Gender reveal parties also typically are open to men and women , unlike the traditionally all - female baby shower . The rise of the gender reveal party seems `` inextricably tied to social media . '' YouTube searches report that there are `` more than 500,000 videos of expectant couples slicing cakes , setting off smoke bombs and bashing piñatas to expose one of two colors : pink or blue '' . Other methods include the release of balloons from a box .
It is typically held near the moment when parents learn the baby's predicted sex.  The rise of the gender reveal party seems ``inextricably tied to social media.''
However , it is typically held earlier , near the moment , formerly private , when parents learn the baby 's predicted sex . The rise of the gender reveal party seems `` inextricably tied to social media . ''