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3 On Your Side: Gender Reveal Parties

By Jim Donovan

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- People have been throwing baby showers for years but now there's a new celebration that's becoming increasingly popular with millennials.

In today's 3 On Your side consumer report, a look at gender reveal parties.

Kelly and Jason Noto found out they were expecting in January.

Then came news it was twins!

The couple already has two girls, but this time they decided to have a party where their friends and family could guess the gender of the babies.  It would be a surprise for them too.

After having an ultrasound, they took a sealed envelope to a local party planning store.  The store secretly filled two boxes with balloons. Pink for a girl, blue for a boy.

The trend started popping up a few years ago and social psychologist Susan Newman says young couples are looking at new ways of celebrating life events.

They also want to include everyone, unlike a traditional baby shower that's usually only attended by women.

"You have a chance to be surprising, I think that's one of the biggest appeals about it," said Newman.

And the Notos were surprised!!  Their daughters helped with the big reveal, two more girls!

The first gender reveal party on YouTube was posted in 2008. Since then, couples have posted more than 100 thousand of their surprise  moments.   One other reason people love them.  Unlike baby showers, guest don't have to bring a gift.

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