At nine months, babies are on the move. Many are crawling, pulling up on the furniture and picking up tiny things with their thumb and finger. They wave, babble, bang toys together and laugh when something disappears and comes back. The best Christmas gifts for a 9-month-old give all that energy somewhere to go: soft friends to crawl after, toys to bang and shake, books to point at, and clothes that keep up. And because it’s their first Christmas, the best gifts are also the ones the family will keep.
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Gifts from this story
Every gift in this guide is from Estella, a family-owned New York brand making baby gifts since 2003. Our toys are hand-knit one at a time by artisans in Peru with a soft organic cotton exterior, and our clothing is organic cotton. We’ve earned 1,800+ five-star reviews from 55,000+ families, been featured in Vogue, and you’ll never find us on Amazon.
In this guide:
- Our quick picks
- What 9-month-olds love
- Soft friends to crawl after
- Rattles for busy hands
- First books to point at
- Clothes that keep up
- The big gifts
- Frequently asked questions
Our Quick Picks
- Best overall: the Large NYC Taxi Plush ($78), big enough to crawl after, push and hug.
- Best under $70: All American Baby Rattles ($65): a baseball, basketball and football to bang, roll and shake.
- Best keepsake: Frank the Dog ($72), the hand-knit friend they’ll still have at ten.
- The showstopper: the NYC Taxi Knit Baby Gift Set ($328), with a knit romper, dog doll and lovey.
What 9-Month-Olds Love
Things to go get. A toy across the room is a reason to crawl. Bigger, soft toys are easy to spot and fun to reach.
Banging, shaking and dropping. Nine-month-olds love to make noise and watch what happens when they let go.
Peekaboo and pointing. Babies this age start to understand that things still exist when hidden, and love pointing at pictures as you name them.
A favorite friend. The soft toy that comes along everywhere is often chosen right around now.
Soft Friends to Crawl After
Large NYC Taxi Plush
A big, squeezable yellow cab: a toy, a cushion and a piece of nursery decor all at once. Perfect for a baby who wants something substantial to hug, lean on and push across the floor.
Organic Stuffed Taxi Cab Pillow: We received our soft Taxi Cab Pillow from Estella - and it is everything we wanted in this item - soft, cute and cuddly.
Frank the Dog
Our most iconic piece: a 12-inch hand-knit dog with floppy ears and a little taxi on his chest, easy to grab by an arm or a leg and carry everywhere.
My son’s favorite toy: My son received this pup as a gift and loves him so much!! A perfect size to hug.
Pierre the Paris Dog
Frank’s chic French cousin, with a red beret and a “Je T’aime” sweater. A stylish companion, and a lovely gift for any family with a soft spot for Paris.
Organic knit doll, Pierre Dog: My 16mth old grandson LOVES Pierre! The toy is very well made, beautiful colors and great size.
Pedro the Pigeon
New York’s most famous bird, made huggable. A little bit cheeky, completely lovable, and always good for a laugh on Christmas morning.
Rattles for Busy Hands
All American Baby Rattles
A baseball, a basketball and a football, hand-knit in Peru. Soft enough to throw, roll and bang together, and a favorite gift from sports-loving parents and grandparents.
Big Apple Baby Rattle Set
A yellow taxi, a Big Apple, Pedro the Pigeon and a coffee cup: four New York icons to grab, swap and shake.
Safari Baby Rattle Set
A lion, an elephant, a giraffe and a monkey: four hand-knit friends, and a perfect set for practicing animal sounds together.
NYC Taxi Baby Rattle
Our bestselling rattle, and at $28, the easiest stocking stuffer on the list.
First Books to Point At
NYC ABCs Baby Board Book
The alphabet, the New York way, with a bold illustration on every page, made for pointing and naming. $14.
My First Book of New York
Taxis, bridges, pretzels and pigeons: a tour of the city’s greatest hits for its littlest readers.
Clothes That Keep Up
NYC Print Baby Romper
Taxis, pretzels, apples and pizza, head to toe, in soft organic cotton. Comfortable for crawling, and perfect for holiday photos.
MVP Football Baby Gift Set
An organic cotton bodysuit, a hand-knit football rattle and a board book, for the littlest fan in the family.
NYC Little Explorers Baby Gift Set
Two organic cotton bodysuits, a matching NYC bib, hand-knit taxi and Big Apple rattles and a New York board book: six pieces for dressing up, playing and reading.
The Big Gifts
NYC Taxi Knit Baby Gift Set
A knit taxi romper with a dog doll and a lovey: a coordinated, special-occasion gift that’s as lovely in photos as it is to unwrap.
Baby New Yorker Gift Set
Nine pieces: a taxi-print organic cotton bodysuit, a matching NYC bib, a muslin swaddle and a pacifier holder, plus Frank the dog doll, a taxi bear, an NYC board book and two rattles.
My Go-To Baby Gift Now: This officially became my go-to baby gift for NYC families. Thoughtful, adorable, and consistently well received.
NYC Embroidered Baby Gift Set
Three embroidered organic cotton bodysuits, four hand-knit rattles and an NYC ABCs board book, all in a gift box. Our bestseller.
What Size to Give a 9-Month-Old
A baby who is nine months old at Christmas usually wears 6–12 months now and 12–18 months by spring. If you’re not sure, choose 12–18 months so the gift lasts. Plush toys, rattles and books need no size.
Ready to Give for Christmas
Add a free gift message in your cart, and every order includes a gift receipt with no prices. Gift boxing is $8, complimentary on orders over $175. Orders ship within 1–2 business days, with free shipping on U.S. orders over $75; order early, since carriers slow down in December.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you get a 9-month-old for Christmas?
Something to crawl after (a large plush or a soft doll), something to bang and shake (a rattle set), a board book to point at, and an outfit in 12–18 months.
Are soft toys good for a 9-month-old?
Yes. Soft plush toys and rattles are light, easy to grab and carry, and gentle when dropped or thrown. Our knit toys have an organic cotton exterior, hand-knit in Peru, with a polyester fill; each product page lists its materials. As with any toy, supervise playtime.
Can I send a gift directly to the family?
Yes. Ship to any U.S. address and add a free gift message; the gift receipt never shows prices.
Can I buy Estella on Amazon?
No. Estella is sold only at estella-nyc.com and at select museum and boutique partners.
More First Christmas Gift Ideas, Made with Love
See all of our Baby’s First Christmas gifts, our hand-knit stuffed animals and our baby sports toys. Turning one soon? See our first birthday gifts.
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