At three months old, a baby is just discovering their hands. They follow faces and bright shapes with their eyes, turn toward sounds, and begin swiping at, and soon grabbing, whatever is close. The best Christmas gifts for a 3-month-old meet them exactly there: something soft to hold, something that rattles gently, something bold to look at. And because it’s their very first Christmas, the best gifts are also the ones the family will keep.
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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
- What 3-month-olds love
- First rattles for little hands
- Soft friends and loveys
- First Christmas outfits
- Gift sets for baby’s first Christmas
- Frequently asked questions
Our Quick Picks
- Best overall: the NYC Embroidered Baby Gift Set ($228), our bestseller, arriving gift-boxed.
- Best under $30: the NYC Taxi Baby Rattle ($28), our most-loved first rattle.
- Best first friend: Frank the Dog ($72), the hand-knit companion they’ll still have at ten.
- Best for New York lovers: the NYC Baby Rattle Gift Set ($98): taxi, hot dog, pretzel and Big Apple.
What 3-Month-Olds Love
Things to hold. Around three to four months, babies start to grasp on purpose. Light, soft toys with a shape that’s easy to grip, like a taxi or a giraffe’s long neck, are just right.
Gentle sounds. A soft rattle teaches the very first lesson in cause and effect: move it, and something happens.
Bold colors and faces. Bright, high-contrast shapes and stitched faces hold a young baby’s attention.
Comfort. A small lovey or a soft doll often becomes the thing they reach for when they need comfort.
First Rattles for Little Hands
NYC Taxi Baby Rattle
Our bestselling rattle: a bright yellow cab with a checkered stripe, hand-knit in Peru. Easy to hold, easy to love, and a little piece of New York for babies everywhere.
Giraffe Baby Rattle
Long neck, long legs and sweet spots make the giraffe easy to grab from almost any angle, which is perfect for a baby who’s just learning how.
Adorable: Great! Perfectly made and cute as can be ❤️
Toni the Elephant Rattle
Toni comes in a soothing grey with a small heart stitched on her leg, a nod to the endangered Sumatran elephant. A gentle, meaningful first-Christmas gift.
Happy Shopper: I bought three different rattles from here. It was too hard to pick just one. Everyone loved them, cutest rattles they’ve seen.
Safari Baby Rattle Set
A lion, an elephant, a giraffe and a monkey: four hand-knit friends in one gift, so there’s always a new one to discover.
She loved it!: I sent this to my friend -- a new mama who I haven't been able to see in person yet -- and she said this little lion brought happy tears to her eyes!
Soft Friends and Loveys
Frank the Dog
Our most iconic piece: a 12-inch hand-knit dog with floppy ears, a stitched face and a little taxi on his chest. At three months he’s a face to gaze at; by their first birthday, he’s a best friend.
My son’s favorite toy: My son received this pup as a gift and loves him so much!! A perfect size to hug.
NYC Taxi Baby Teddy Bear
A small, soft bear dressed for the city, sized for little hands and easy to tuck into a stroller. A sweet stocking-sized gift at $32.
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.
Octopus Lovey Blanket
A friendly octopus face and a playful texture make this lovey a whimsical companion for cuddles and travel.
Adorable: The Octopus lovey is going to be hard to give up to my new grandson! It’s wonderfully soft & well made.
First Christmas Outfits
NYC Print Baby Romper
Taxis, pretzels, apples and pizza, head to toe, in soft organic cotton. A festive-but-not-fussy outfit for holiday photos.
NYC Romper & Rattle Baby Gift Set
The NYC print romper plus your choice of hand-knit rattle (taxi, apple, pretzel or hot dog), so the outfit comes with its first toy.
Gift Sets for Baby’s First Christmas
NYC Swaddle Baby Gift Set
An NYC print swaddle, the NYC ABCs board book and two hand-knit rattles: cuddles, stories and play in one box.
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.
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, and our favorite “wow” gift for a first Christmas.
What Size to Give a 3-Month-Old
A baby who is three months old at Christmas will wear 3–6 months right away and grow into 6–12 months by spring. If you’re not sure, size up so the outfit lasts. Rattles, loveys and books need no size at all.
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 3-month-old for Christmas?
Something soft to hold, something with a gentle sound and something bold to look at, like a hand-knit rattle, a lovey or a soft doll, plus an outfit in the next size up.
When can a baby hold a rattle?
Babies enjoy watching and hearing a rattle from the start and usually begin grasping one around 2–4 months. Our rattles are soft and light, sized for small hands. As with any toy, supervise playtime.
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 First Christmas Gift Ideas, Made with Love
See all of our Baby’s First Christmas gifts, our hand-knit baby rattles and our newborn baby gifts.
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