Six months is a sweet spot for Christmas shopping. A 6-month-old is reaching for everything, grabbing with both hands, laughing out loud and maybe sitting with a little support. Everything goes straight to the mouth, and every bright shape is worth a closer look. The best Christmas gifts for a 6-month-old meet them right there: soft toys that are easy to grab, gentle rattles to shake, bold books to look at together, and a first-Christmas outfit for the photos. Because it’s their very 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 6-month-olds love
- Holiday rattles and first toys
- Soft friends to hug
- First books
- First Christmas outfits
- Gift sets for a 6-month-old
- Frequently asked questions
Our Quick Picks
- Best overall: the NYC Embroidered Baby Gift Set ($228), our bestseller, arriving gift-boxed.
- Best stocking stuffer: the Gnome Baby Rattle ($28), a hand-knit holiday friend.
- Best keepsake: Frank the Dog ($72), the hand-knit friend they’ll still have at ten.
- Best for New York lovers: the NYC Baby Rattle Gift Set ($98): a taxi, hot dog, pretzel and Big Apple.
What 6-Month-Olds Love
Grabbing with both hands. Light, soft toys with easy shapes are perfect for little hands that are learning to grip and pass things back and forth.
Making things happen. A soft rattle they can shake themselves is an early lesson in cause and effect, and endlessly entertaining.
Faces and bold colors. Stitched faces, bright shapes and bold picture books hold a baby’s attention at this age.
Something soft to hug. A plush friend or small lovey is comforting during cuddles and awake, supervised play.
The best gifts at this age are the same for boys and girls. Choose by what the family loves (animals, sports or New York) rather than by color.
Holiday Rattles and First Toys
Gnome Baby Rattle
A friendly hand-knit gnome with a pointed hat and a sweet face, full of holiday whimsy. Tie it to the ribbon on a bigger gift, or tuck it in a stocking.
Loved it: My friend was so happy to receive this for a gift it shipped quickly and is excellent quality. Thank you!
Snowman Baby Rattle
A cheerful hand-knit snowman with a cozy hat and a carrot nose: the perfect first-Christmas rattle, and a sweet one to bring out every winter.
NYC Taxi Baby Rattle
Our bestselling rattle: a bright yellow cab with a checkered stripe, easy for small hands to hold.
Taxi Rattle: Even cuter in person. Perfect for my daughter and son in law who love NYC.
NYC Pigeon Baby Rattle (Pedro)
New York’s most famous bird, as a soft, quirky rattle for the littlest city fan.
Safari Baby Rattle Set
A lion, an elephant, a giraffe and a monkey: four hand-knit friends, perfect for animal sounds and peekaboo.
Soft Friends to Hug
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. A first friend for years to come.
Adorable: Great quality, my son loves them!
Charlotte the Pig
All charm, with a bright pink snout and a playful spirit. Her snout, ears, feet and tail give little hands plenty to explore.
Perfect lovey for baby: I got this for my baby (six months) and he loves it. It’s the perfect size for him to hug and play with.
NYC Taxi Baby Teddy Bear
A small, soft bear dressed for the city, sized for little hands and easy to bring along. A lovely stocking-sized gift at $32.
Taxi Bear: I gave this sweet taxi bear to my friend as a gift for her six month old and received many sweet photos and videos of the little girl playing with and holding the bear.
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.
First Books
NYC ABCs Baby Board Book
The alphabet, the New York way, with a bright illustration on every page. At $14, a sweet addition to any gift.
Hello, World: New York Board Book
A vibrant, graphic board book that introduces baby to the colors of New York City. $12.
First Christmas Outfits
NYC Print Baby Romper
Taxis, pretzels, apples and pizza, head to toe, in soft organic cotton. Festive without being fussy, and perfect for holiday photos.
Big Apple Baby Gift Set
A long-sleeve NYC romper with two hand-knit rattles, a Big Apple and a yellow taxi, so the outfit comes with its first toys.
Cuddle Me Baby Gift Set
A cozy puppy-print organic cotton romper, an embroidered dog bib and a hand-knit dog rattle, for the family that loves its dog.
Gift Sets for a 6-Month-Old
Urban Tot NYC Baby Gift Set
An NYC print organic cotton bodysuit and matching bib with three hand-knit rattles: a taxi, a hot dog and a pretzel. Five pieces in one gift.
Parents Loved It: Bought this for a friend’s newborn and the parents absolutely loved it.
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.
Premium Feel: The fabric feels luxurious and the rattle quickly became a favorite toy.
What Size to Give a 6-Month-Old
A baby who is six months old at Christmas usually wears 6–12 months now. Choose 12–18 months if you’d like the outfit to last into spring. Rattles, plush toys 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 6-month-old for Christmas?
A soft toy they can grab and shake, like a hand-knit rattle, plus a plush friend, a bold board book and an outfit in 6–12 months. A gift set combines all of these in one box.
Are soft toys okay for a baby who mouths everything?
Our rattles and plush toys are soft and light, with an organic cotton exterior, hand-knit in Peru, and a polyester fill. Each product page lists its materials. As with any toy, supervise playtime.
What size clothes does a 6-month-old wear?
Usually 6–12 months. Size up to 12–18 months if you’d like the gift to last longer.
How many gifts does a baby need for their first Christmas?
One or two meaningful gifts are plenty. A keepsake like Frank the Dog plus a rattle or a book makes a complete, thoughtful first-Christmas gift.
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 stuffed animals.
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