gender reveal party or no ?

deafy2006

I'm debating on this whole gender reveal party stuff. I like the idea, I've been\planned a couple; they're tons of fun. We're planning on trying for an early reveal before Christmas and I have a good idea for the family. I'm the crafty builder in the family and was going to make ornaments for everyone to open and than do a cute Ballon facebook reveal for everyone else.
But my MIL and friend are like no your not, you can't do your own reveal thing. I'm like I can if I want to, still my H and my choice If we want to know. Especially if it's around the holidays and money is tight and people are everywhere. I know everyone will be in one place at christmas and I can do something cute for each side of the family and there we go. But I can't get my MIL off it.

deafy2006

The immediate family like parents and grandparents would get an ornament and I'm still working on everyone else. Everyone in my family hangs on to ornaments. Everyone else in my family is states away so I'll probably do like I did for the pregnancy announcement and send them something too.

deafy2006

What are you "no" ing exactly ?

74dragonfly

You are giving ornaments to commemorate the babies sex? Why? What too over the top. Team MIL.

deafy2006

Oy. I knew better than to ask. Thanks anyways.

Giving the family an ornament with the babies name on it, in blue or pink is apparently not everyone's cup of tea. What did you think I was going to do draw a penis or a vagina on a glass ball? Seriously. Not attention whoring either, but when everyone is dying to know what it is. You want to announce things in a neat way. Again not everyone's cup of tea but hey thanks for the input.

*thumbs up*

deafy2006

Well that's why I was planning on doing it while we're all at christmas together eating and opening presents already. No special party and everyone is together. Plain and simple. Everyone has a babies first Christmas ornament. It's something they can use the next Christmas after its here.

FemShep

deafy2006 said:

Oy. I knew better than to ask. Thanks anyways. Giving the family an ornament with the babies name on it, in blue or pink is apparently not everyone's cup of tea. What did you think I was going to do draw a penis or a vagina on a glass ball? Seriously. Not attention whoring either, but when everyone is dying to know what it is. You want to announce things in a neat way. Again not everyone's cup of tea but hey thanks for the input. *thumbs up*

Team MIL. Your baby isn't born yet, and you're at 16 weeks right before Christmas. You do realize that you're likely to make ornaments for Baby Jane and end up with a Baby John, right? The holidays are crazy enough as it is, there's no way I'd want to try to cram a sex reveal party in there too. And I promise you that while everyone will happy to learn if the baby is a boy or girl, no one is "dying to know" what it is. If you want to find out, great-but skip the party.

deafy2006

You all that are team MIL. She is wanting to throw me a reveal party cake, punch the whole 9 yards. Guess I wasn't specific enough on that part.

My grandmother's on both sides has a baby's first Christmas ornament with all of us on it. My aunt has the same thing. Just about a good chunk of us in the family do. Why I was doing ornaments.

Yes I fully realize the baby can end up being the opposite, it happens.

SingleMom31

I can't see your ticker being on mobile, but will you even know the sex at Christmas if you'll be 16 weeks (like a PP mentioned) then? We didn't find out until 20 or so weeks and my OB won't consider doing one until 18 weeks. 

Beyond that, you're welcome to tell people however you want, though most people on this board prefer simplicity. I knew the dates of my BFF's anatomy scans and texted them well wishes before (as sex is actually the most trivial part) and was excited to get texts back that baby was healthy. They also shared the sex that way. One went on to do a series of "clues" on FB to what it was, and I actually found even that too AWish. The other posted IT'S A GIRL, which was plenty for most people. And these were my BFFs of 20 years. 

If you think your family will enjoy it, really, go for it. But, I too find it odd that you'd have Babys 1st Christmas ornaments on your tree for anyone other than your own baby. I can sort of see grandparents, as my older daughter made handprint ornaments for her grandparents for her 1st Christmas, but this isn't actually Baby's 1st Christmas -- that would be next year. 

deafy2006

Yes. I was going to give it to them to use for next year. Since the won't put it on the tree till the following christmas anyways. Other family members are getting other stuff, just something for everyone to open roughly at the same time. My aunt does all the kids because she doesn't have anyone but us.

My obgyn office goes early reveal thing at 16 weeks and up.

I'm not sure about this ticker thing ? I think Dec 13th or something is my 16 weeks. I have to double check.

deafy2006

I'm only telling the person trying to plan the party, what my plans are. It's going to be a general surprise when they open the presents. Like oh yay that's sweet. Not taking over Christmas.

Nothing wrong with the whole trying to be a bit creative over here. I'm not a doing something over the phone kinda person. My family is a bit more involved in than that.

Why would my parents and grandparents not want an ornament of the baby ? My family traditions are clearly not yours.

deafy2006

Why wouldn't someone to want a cute celebration ornament for the first grand baby or the 6th. Christmas is about family and milestones and all other good stuff. If your kid sat down and made you an ornament for Christmas you wouldn't throw it away. We use to sit around every year and make ornaments. Me making a specific ornament is the same idea.

Beating a dead horse. Going to let the thread drop now.

deafy2006

I was asking if it would just be easier to do the ornaments at a christmas gathering or the fiasco of rounding up everyone around Christmas for a party.

I'm going to do the ornaments either way. Not what I was asking.

Amstreagle

Please just no.....No gatherings/trinkets/what have you, to reveal what's going to be between your kids legs whatsoever.

VOR

To your question - if you want to give out ornaments to your family at an otherwise planned family party, have at it.

  I don't have an issue w/ the ornaments. My parents will put as much on their tree related to DS as they can. If we had more kids, I know they'd gladly put up more ornaments related to their grandkids.

But you do NOT need to plan yet ANOTEHR party around the Christmas season just for the sole purpose of revealing your childs sex.  It's not that important.  

FemShep

I'm still hung up on the idea of a Baby's First Christmas ornament for a baby *that isn't born yet*. You do know, OP, that baby's first Christmas happens when, you know, they're actually born and around for the event, right? I would think it was exceedingly odd to get an ornament for a baby that isn't yet born.

chicagojackie

To answer your question(s)

1-Don't throw a separate party.

2-I personally think the ornaments are a little much.  As long as the baby is healthy and you are healthy, who cares if this baby has a penis or a vagina? If this is your first baby people find out the sex on their baby shower invites if your hostess are sending pink or blue invitations out.

Otherwise if people want to buy pink or blue gifts for a 2+ baby they will ask the mother if she knows. I don't understand why anyone would otherwise need to know if you're having a boy or a girl. Remember our moms and grandmothers did not have the option of finding out the sex of the baby and found out in the delivery room. This was not a thing for them. They "get" how to wait.

3-At a big family gathering, you can just tell the person(s) who inquire if it is a boy or a girl. There is plenty of time and plenty of Christmas(es) hopefully to commemorate this baby.  

Good luck to you.

neverblushed

Wait... Let me see if I've got this right:

You don't want to have a party.  You just want to announce the sex of the baby to the family at a holiday gathering by giving out ornaments you'll make or have made.  While I think the ornament thing for an unborn baby is a little weird, I think it's fine to announce the baby's sex at a time when everyone would be together anyway.  And, heck, you know your family members, and if future grandparents, aunts, and uncles would be excited to receive an ornament for this occasion, go for it.

Your MIL thinks this is too close to "throwing your own reveal" as if a reveal party is a gift giving event in the category of a shower that should not be hosted by the MTB.  Your MIL is incorrect on two things.  1) A separate party should not be thrown to reveal the sex of the baby EVEN though there are tons of cute ideas on Pinterest because no one cares that much, and 2) it certainly should not be thrown in any way that implies it's a gift-giving event like a shower.

Decline MIL's offer to make this a huge bash, hand out ornaments to FAMILY MEMBERS ONLY and only at a family gathering where you'd all be together anyway, have a H&H rest of your pregnancy.