A baby who hasn’t arrived yet is still the best reason to give at Christmas. Whether it’s your sister’s first, your best friend’s second or a grandchild on the way, a gift under the tree for the baby says what the parents-to-be most want to hear: we already love this little one. The best Christmas gifts for an unborn baby do two things at once. They’re useful in the first months, and they’re lovely enough to be kept long after.
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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
- How to choose a gift for a baby who isn’t born yet
- Keepsakes for a baby on the way
- Gifts with no size to guess
- Clothes for the first months
- Gifts the parents-to-be will use every day
- Frequently asked questions
Our Quick Picks
- Best overall: the NYC Embroidered Baby Gift Set ($228), our bestseller, arriving gift-boxed.
- Best under $50: the NYC Taxi & Pretzel Baby Rattle Set ($48), two hand-knit New York icons.
- Best keepsake: Frank the Dog ($72), the hand-knit friend waiting for the baby when they come home.
- The showstopper: the Heirloom NYC Baby Gift Basket ($695), seventeen pieces for the whole first year and a half.
How to Choose a Christmas Gift for a Baby Who Isn’t Born Yet
Skip the newborn size. Babies outgrow 0–3 months in weeks, and the parents will receive plenty of it. Choose 3–6 months, or a gift with no size at all.
Don’t worry about boy or girl. Most of our gifts are gender-neutral, which is perfect when the parents are waiting to find out.
Give one thing to keep. A hand-knit doll or rattle bought before the baby arrives often becomes the first toy they ever hold, and the one the family keeps.
Make it about the parents, too. A gift that makes those first sleepless weeks a little easier, like a swaddle or a basket that organizes the nursery, is a gift for the whole family.
Keepsakes for a Baby on the Way
Frank the Dog
Our most iconic piece: a 12-inch hand-knit dog with floppy ears, a sweet stitched face and a little taxi on his chest. Give him at Christmas and he’ll be sitting in the nursery, ready, when the baby comes home.
My son’s favorite toy: My son received this pup as a gift and loves him so much!! A perfect size to hug.
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. It’s our bestselling gift because it covers so much at once: something to wear, something to hold and something to read.
Heirloom NYC Baby Gift Basket
Our most complete gift: seventeen pieces in a handwoven rattan caddy, with organic cotton clothes that grow with the baby from newborn to 18 months, plus Frank the Dog, a large taxi plush, a taxi lovey and five hand-knit rattles. The basket stays on as the nursery’s diaper station for years.
Gifts with No Size to Guess
NYC Baby Rattle Gift Set
Four hand-knit New York icons in one gift: a yellow taxi, a hot dog, a pretzel and the Big Apple. Soft, light and easy for tiny hands to grip once the baby is ready.
Giraffe Baby Rattle
Long neck, long legs, sweet spots, and one of our most-reviewed toys. At $28 it’s a lovely stocking-sized gift for a baby on the way.
Adorable: Great! Perfectly made and cute as can be ❤️
NYC Taxi Lovey Security Blanket
A hand-knit taxi lovey with pom-pom wheels, about 14" x 14": just enough for little hands to grab and snuggle.
Great gift for a friend who loves NYC: Beautifully made! Made a great gift for a friend whose favorite city is NYC.
NYC ABCs Baby Board Book
The alphabet, the New York way. Reading together starts long before a baby understands the words, and at $14 it’s the perfect addition to any gift.
NYC Swaddle Baby Gift Set
An NYC print swaddle, the NYC ABCs board book and two hand-knit rattles: everything for the first cuddles and the first bedtime stories.
Clothes for the First Months
NYC Romper & Rattle Baby Gift Set
An organic cotton romper covered in New York’s icons, with your choice of hand-knit rattle: taxi, apple, pretzel or hot dog. Choose 3–6 months for a baby who isn’t born yet.
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.
Baby Loves NY Gift Set
A hot dog and pretzel print organic cotton bodysuit, five hand-knit NYC rattles, a wood bead pacifier clip and the NYC ABCs board book, arriving in a gift box.
Gifts the Parents-to-Be Will Use Every Day
Welcome NYC Baby Gift Basket
Six pieces in a handwoven rattan caddy: an organic cotton NYC print bodysuit in the size you choose, hand-knit taxi and hot dog rattles, a bandana bib and the NYC ABCs board book. Once it’s unpacked, the caddy becomes the diaper station new parents reach for at 3 a.m.
Frank NYC Baby Gift Basket
Twelve pieces built around Frank the Dog, including organic cotton bodysuits, an NYC swaddle, hand-knit rattles, an NYC bib and the NYC ABCs board book, everything from the first weeks to the first birthday. See all of our baby gift baskets.
Ready to Give for Christmas
Ship directly to the parents-to-be and add a free gift message in your cart, something like “To our little one: we can’t wait to meet you. With love, Aunt Sarah.” Every order includes a gift receipt with no prices. Gift boxing is $8, complimentary on orders over $175, and 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
Is it okay to give a Christmas gift for a baby who isn’t born yet?
Absolutely. It’s one of the sweetest ways to celebrate the parents-to-be, and a gift chosen before the birth often becomes a family keepsake.
What size should I buy for an unborn baby?
Choose 3–6 months so the gift lasts, or choose a gift with no size at all, like rattles, loveys, books or a swaddle.
What if I don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl?
Most of our gifts are gender-neutral. See all of our gender-neutral baby gifts.
What are Estella toys made of?
Our knit toys have an organic cotton exterior, hand-knit by artisans in Peru, with a soft polyester fill. Each product page lists its materials.
Can I buy Estella on Amazon?
No. Estella is sold only at estella-nyc.com and at select museum and boutique partners.
More Christmas Gift Ideas, Made with Love
Shopping for a baby who’s already here? See our Baby’s First Christmas gifts and newborn baby gifts. Headed to a shower first? Browse our baby shower gifts.
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