When it comes to announcing the gender of your baby to family and friends, the idea of a gender reveal party uplifts your mood. 

A gender reveal party is a gathering of family and friends sharing the same anxiousness of finding out what you will be expecting. 

The other weekend, a gender reveal video went viral, and by last Tuesday had up to 8.1 million views. A couple, Jonathan and Bridgette Joseph, had their gender reveal in the Capital of Texas Zoo in Cedar Creek, Texas.  

Their video went viral after filmmaker Ana Bretón shared a video of the couple’s reveal party. 

She said in her tweet, “I did it. I found the worst gender reveal.”

The couple had gone above and beyond, feeding a 4,000-pound hippopotamus a watermelon filled with organic blue Jell-O.

I had to take a minute to take in the news of the worst gender reveal party because I was ready to judge. 

The idea that a couple had fed a 4,000-pound hippo a watermelon with Jell-O seemed crazy to 

me. I had read their whole story, and it changed my perspective toward the whole situation. 

The zoo had helped the couple organize the celebration and defended the event, saying that the hippo, Tank, receives watermelon and different flavors of organic Jell-O often as a treat. 

After their video had gone viral, the couple received awful comments, such as “I hope the baby dies” and “Why don’t they just feed the baby to the hippo?” 

I believe the couple had a creative and well-done gender reveal party. 

Many gender reveal parties already seem to be over-the-top with the location, decorations and huge gatherings.  

These events seem so entertaining. I have not attended one, but I believe so many people are sharing moments of their lives on YouTube and social media with the whole world because they are special to those waiting for the miracle of having a child, and it should always be a celebration bringing in a new life. 

I can understand why some people were upset with the couple, but if they had gotten permission from the zoo, why judge and throw so much hate? They were so happy finally expecting their first baby boy. 

You should never criticize a person without hearing their whole story with an open mind.  

Congratulations to the couple and let the creativity of gender reveal parties continue.