The cost of popular new traditions in the UK

From baby showers to gender reveal parties, nowadays, there are plenty of modern traditions we all adhere to in the name of celebration and family.

But some of these modern traditions are proving to come with a hefty price tag.

A price tag that’s only getting bigger and more extravagant with each passing year.

To find out just how expensive some of our modern traditions are getting, we surveyed 1,500 Brits to see just how much they spend on three of our most well-known, 21st-century traditions: baby showers, gender reveal parties, and hen/stag dos.

Not only that, but we also asked those we surveyed to share their thoughts on these traditions, and whether or not they are financially viable.

The average cost of popular traditions

Of the three traditions we chose to analyse, it probably comes as a big surprise that actually, gender reveal parties cost the most, at an average of £2,573.

In second place is baby showers, averaging at £1,994; followed by hen and stag parties, at a more respectable £979, covering the cost of plenty of hectic partying and late nights.

Cost of new traditions infographic desktop

Which UK cities spend the most money on popular traditions

Gender reveal parties might be the most expensive tradition overall, but which cities spend the most on average per tradition?

For baby showers, Bristol is the clear winner, spending a mind-boggling average of £4,229.17 per event.

Next up, Southampton places second with an average spend of £4,039.47, while those in the city of Liverpool spend by far the least, at around £541.67 for each baby shower.

As for gender reveal parties, Glasgow has made it to the top spot, spending an average of £5,660 per gathering.

Sheffield comes a close second, at £4,160, followed by Edinburgh, at £3,968.

Nottingham residents are much more frugal with their spending on gender reveal parties, spending around £681.82.

Lastly, when it comes to hen and stag dos, it turns out Southampton is most likely to spend the most, at £1,311 on average.

Liverpool and London aren’t far behind though, at £1,190 and £1,122 - both spending less than some baby showers and gender reveal parties!

What do people think of these modern traditions

So, we’ve seen just how expensive some of these traditions can be, but do the growing price tags actually bother people?

Baby showers

When it comes to baby showers, it seems one primary cost associated with them is gift-giving, with 73% of those we asked saying they expect guests to bring presents.

But baby showers aren’t universally popular. 41% of those we spoke say they wouldn’t hold a baby shower, and 53% see them as a needless expense. Meanwhile, a further 45% have felt pressured into hosting such an event.

On a financial level, 43% admit that they can’t really afford to host such an event, despite it being the cheapest of our traditions, with a further 38% stating that they’ve actually received financial assistance to hold one.


Gender reveal parties

As with baby showers, gender reveal parties show a penchant for gifts as well. 72% of those hosting gender reveal parties say they expect guests to bring presents, with 60% saying it’s a great way to get spoilt by friends and family.

Much like baby showers, however, 54% of those we surveyed say they wouldn’t like one of these events, and 50% believe it to be an unnecessary expense. In fact, a full 51% of those we spoke to say they felt pressured into hosting such an event.

Given how expensive some of these events can get, it’s not surprising that 49% of those we surveyed pointed out that they really can’t afford a gender reveal party, and 53% said they’ve received financial assistance just to have one.


Hen and stag dos

They might be the most expensive tradition on average, but it seems hen and stag dos are slightly more popular than the other traditions, likely because they’ve been around much longer. In fact, 59% state that they’re a must-have event.

Traditionally, hen and stag dos are not gift-giving events, and this shows, with 70% of those we asked saying that they don’t expect any presents. And, though they’re the most expensive of our traditions on average, 57% of those we asked say they funded the event themselves, and 52% say they specifically budgeted for it.

It’s clear, for the moment at least, that there’s something of a divide on whether modern traditions are financially worth it, particularly with gender reveal parties. And with their price tags looking to increase again next year, this divide is only likely to grow.

At the end of the day, whether or not you host one of these traditions comes down to personal preference. After all, everyone celebrates big events like these in their own way.

Stats of new traditions infographic desktop

While you can certainly budget for the traditions we’ve mentioned above, one thing many families should budget for is life insurance.

Nobody wants the worst to happen, however securing family life insurance is a great way of protecting your loved ones financial future, whilst giving you reassuring peace of mind.

For more insightful pieces like this one, be sure to check out our other articles over on our blog.

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