How (and Why) to Have a Virtual Gender Reveal

How to Have a Virtual Gender Reveal, a couple standing in front of the ocean on a beach, releasing red smoke out of pipes.

It’s never been easier to share the joy of new parenthood—every step of the way. That includes the moment you find out “boy, or girl?”

If you’re planning to find out the gender of your soon-to-be bundle of joy and want to share the news with family and friends, a gender reveal is a fun way to do it.

As you probably know, a gender reveal is a “moment” set up to let expectant parents find out the “boy or girl?” of their baby, a surprise that’s often captured on camera to share with loved ones or on social media.

It’s also become increasingly common to make it a party. And as a social event, a gender reveal more naturally accommodates a unisex guest list, unlike a more traditional women-only baby shower. Fun, right?

So why have a virtual gender reveal?

Over the past year, we’ve all gotten used to virtual gatherings—making the best of onscreen socializing. And while staying socially distant is becoming less necessary for safety’s sake (yay!), here’s the thing about virtual hangouts: They’ve shown us all just how easy it is to spend time with loved ones, no matter where they are.

And so it is with a virtual gender reveal, when everyone in your life who will love your baby can be right there with you, from wherever they are in the country, or even the world.

So how do you have a virtual gender reveal? The options are as varied as your imagination, and we encourage you to get creative and make it meaningful for you. Here are a few tips to get you started…

Choose a “reveal surprise holder”

Obviously it’s crucial to keep the gender hidden from the parents till the big moment. Ask your doctor to place the gender of your baby in a sealed envelope (don’t peek!), then give the envelope to a family member or friend who can be trusted to keep the secret.

Want to DIY your reveal? Bring a small closed container to your ultrasound appointment, along with two symbolic objects, one for boy and one for girl. Ask the ultrasound tech to place the appropriate item in the box and discard the other. You’re ready to reveal!

Ask for help

Maybe you don’t know how to set up a larger virtual gathering, or maybe you just want to assign the task to someone else so you can enjoy your own party. Either way, ask a savvy family member or friend to run the tech side of things for you. There are multiple convenient, easy-to-use platforms for virtual gatherings, including Zoom, Google Meet, Facebook, and Skype. We suggest you do a test run in advance so there are no surprises when the party starts.

Spread the word

You can easily send an eCard to everyone on your invite list, right from your MyRegistry.com account. Just sign in, click on Things to Do at the top, then Send eCard Announcements. Choose a Gender Reveal template and personalize it with your date, time, and other details. Don’t have a MyRegistry account? Create a Universal Baby Registry right here.

As a fun way to get everyone invested before the event, include a poll with your invite, asking people what they think the gender will be. If you’re sending invites in the mail, you can include cards that say BOY and GIRL, so everyone can hold their guess up on camera at the same time (and you can snap a screenshot!).

However you share your invite, be sure to include the link and other virtual access details, along with clear instructions. To minimize guest frustration as the party starts, ask your tech helper to be on standby to troubleshoot.

Set the stage

Although your gender reveal will take place from the comfort of your home, it wouldn’t be a party without decorations. Choose a theme or backdrop, and make sure any decorations you choose are in view of the camera. (Remember to take photos of your setup before the party starts and you get busy.) If you want to do it the tech way, you can also create and upload a custom background for your video.

Start the party

Take a minute after everyone has “arrived” to greet your guests and thank them for being there to support you on the adventure that is new parenthood.

Make it interactive

Since everyone is participating from home, you’ll want to keep guests engaged. This is where the video chat feature provides some built-in entertainment. Encourage guests to interact by asking questions—the most obvious being “Boy or girl?” After the reveal, continue the conversation by asking folks to suggest baby names or offer a favorite piece of parenting advice.

The big reveal

Expectant parents (or those planning their gender reveal) can get really creative with the actual reveal. After all, if you’re throwing a party for the occasion, you’ll want to do more than just read “boy” or “girl” off a piece of paper! Some common reveal options include pink/blue confetti cannons or a confetti-filled balloon pop, cake or cupcake filling, sparklers, smoke bombs (be careful please!), a box of helium balloons (make sure they’re attached so they don’t fly away), a pinata filled with colored confetti or treats, and string lights that reveal their color when they’re turned on.

If your new baby has an older sibling, get him or her involved with colored silly string or water guns filled with body paint. And if you want to do something interactive with your guests, send an invitation box that includes your gender reveal in the form of colored-coded cookies or custom fortune cookies, then have everyone open them on cue.

Capture the moment

Make sure your own reaction is preserved by asking a friend or family member who can be with you in person to capture it on video. Guaranteed you watch it back, oh, about a hundred times…

And because your guests will be on video too, you can capture their reactions, since you’ll be too busy in the moment to watch them live. This is another task for your tech-savvy helper, who can “host” the gathering and keep their screen on gallery view to record.

Make everyone feel included

A great thing about a virtual gathering is that it can be recorded and become a keepsake to watch again and again—including later with the child who’s the focus of the celebration. Share a recapped version on social media, or directly with family and friends who couldn’t make it, if you prefer to be more private.

Update your baby registry

Is a gift expected for a gender reveal? Not necessarily. While gifts are not expected in the same way they are for a baby shower, your guest list will naturally include close family and friends who are (almost) as excited about your new baby as you are, and they may want to gift you a little something. To make it easy, include a selection of smaller, gender-neutral baby gifts on your baby registry for those who take a look. Here are some options that caught our eye, along with a few gifts for mom too...

Gifts for a gender reveal

Leave no question about the new baby’s status in the family with a LOVED graphic tee.

Don’t forget a baby memory book! This one is chic and unisex, with space for photos, pockets for keepsakes, journal pages, and writing prompts, from pregnancy and birth all the way up to age 5. 

This fluffy ABC wall hanging has a boho-chic look that’s neutral enough to fit in with any nursery decor.

Crisp black-and-white is one of our favorite gender-neutral color combos, and this soft cube has textures, tags, and crinkles for sensory play starting from a very early age.

Peter Rabbit is as classic as it comes, and this bunny blanket will be well loved by any baby boy or girl.

A frame to show off baby’s first photo is always a nice touch for the nursery. This one is made of pewter with two little birds hanging out among the ABCs.

A cuddle toy crossed with a security blanket, this little tiger is made of GOTS-certified organic cotton to be super soft next to sensitive skin.

This sweet floral wrap will be easy to grab during those first days and weeks at home with baby, and it’s nursing-friendly too.

A wine-bottle-shaped box of chocolates is just right for expectant moms who deserve something sweet.

Cozy slippers will be a new mama’s best friend. This pair has removable insoles filled with lavender buds and flax seeds that can be warmed in winter, cooled in summer.

Be ready to collect early family photos into heart-shaped art for your nursery with a custom snapshot mix.

What expectant or new mama wouldn’t like to soak in the tub? Be ready for any “me time” you can grab with a pampering herbal bath blend.

Get set for baby cuddling time with a cozy throw that’s machine washable and made from GOTS-certified organic cotton.

Find Something You Like?
You can add any of these items to your MyRegistry.com Baby Registry. Don’t have one yet? It’s easy! Create a Universal Baby Registry today, then add baby gifts from all your favorite stores.

Looking for More Baby Registry Ideas?
Find more baby gifts and baby registry essentials on our Baby Registry Inspiration Boards.

We are a Universal Gift Registry website where people can create a registry and add gifts from any store in the world. If you buy any of the products listed here, we may be compensated. Thanks for reading—we love you!

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