Christmas Gifts for a Newborn
A newborn cannot hold a toy, open a present or remember Christmas. So the best Christmas gifts for a newborn are things she can look at, be wrapped in or hear from a parent, plus things her parents use every day. I sorted nine picks into keepsakes, sights and soft things, and sleep and bath time. Each has a catch, and the safe sleep rules sit in their own box so nobody wraps something that does not belong in a crib.
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Quick picks
What to get a newborn for Christmas
Start with what a newborn can do. She sees best at about the distance of a parent’s face, she sleeps most of the day and she grabs very little. A toy with ten buttons is wasted on her. A pattern, a voice and a snug swaddle are not. Most newborn Christmas gifts get opened by the parents anyway, so I kept that in mind.
Gifts for a newborn for Christmas fall into three groups: things she looks at, things that keep her warm and clean, and keepsakes the family keeps. Motherly points out that many of its gifts are aimed at parents, since a baby cannot write a wish list. I think that is the honest way to shop for Christmas gift ideas for a newborn.
How I picked Christmas gifts for a newborn
I read five baby Christmas guides, plus two pediatric safe sleep pages. The guides were long on cute and short on safety, and none had a safe sleep section. So I made safety a filter. Every pick works for a baby under 3 months, and I name which ones are for awake time only.
Size matters here. A newborn grows out of a newborn sized outfit in weeks, so I note where to buy a larger size. If you can buy only one gift, make it the board book.
| Gift | Best for | Type | Buy it if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pearhead Babyprints Hanging Keepsake | A first Christmas memory | Keepsake | You want something to keep |
| Beiens High Contrast Baby Flashcards | Early sight | Look | She stares at patterns |
| Sophie la Girafe teether | Mouthing | Hold | You want a classic first toy |
| Love to Dream Swaddle Up | Settling to sleep | Sleep | She fights a wrap |
| Itzy Ritzy Lovey Plush and Teether Toy | Cuddles while awake | Hold | You want a first soft friend |
| Loulou Lollipop Hooded Towel and Washcloth Set | Bath time | Care | You want a daily use gift |
| Copper Pearl Bandana Bibs | Drool and spit up | Care | The baby is a drooler |
| Hanna Andersson Holiday HannaSoft Stretch Sleeper | A first Christmas outfit | Wear | You want a photo outfit |
| Goodnight Moon board book | Reading aloud | Read | You want a gift for the whole year |
The type column is my own grouping. The maker sets the age range, so read the age label on every listing. For play ideas that fit the first months, see our newborn sensory activities and sensory activities for infants guides.
Keepsake and sight gifts for a newborn
These three are for looking, not for playing. A newborn gets the most from a print she can see and a first Christmas the family can look back on.
[Best keepsake] Pearhead Babyprints Hanging Keepsake
Buy this if you want something the family will keep for years.
This is a keepsake ornament kit for taking a print of a baby’s hand or foot to hang on the tree. It is a gift for the parents more than for the baby, and it marks the first Christmas.
The catch: a newborn’s hands stay curled, so the print takes patience and a second pair of hands.
The kit has small parts and is not a toy, so hang it high, keep it away from a baby and check the age label.
Skip it if you want a gift the baby uses.
[Best for early sight] Beiens High Contrast Baby Flashcards
Buy this if she stares at faces and patterns.
These are black, white and red picture cards that a newborn can see more easily than soft colors. A parent holds a card about a hand’s length from her face during awake time.
The catch: she will lose interest after a few months, and a card is no use in the crib.
Keep the cards out of the crib and out of her mouth, and check the age label on the listing.
Skip it if she is past 4 months.
[Best first teether] Sophie la Girafe teether
Buy this if you want a first toy she can keep for a year.
This is a soft rubber giraffe with a squeaker, made for small hands to grab and chew. Sophie la Girafe is a classic first gift, and The Bump lists a Christmas set for babies under 3 months.
The catch: she will not hold it for weeks, and water can get inside a squeaker if you wash it wrong.
Follow the maker’s cleaning directions, check the age label and look up the model at cpsc.gov/Recalls.
Skip it if she already has a teether.
Sleep and cuddle gifts, with a safe sleep warning
This is the section where a nice gift can go wrong. Read the box below before you wrap anything soft.
[Best for settling] Love to Dream Swaddle Up
Buy this if she fights a regular wrap.
This is a zip up swaddle that holds a baby’s arms up instead of tight against her body. Many babies settle faster when their hands can reach their face.
The catch: sizes follow weight, so a gift in the wrong size cannot be used, and a swaddle only works for the first few months.
Follow the maker’s size and age label, lay her on her back, ask the pediatrician when to stop swaddling and look up the swaddle at cpsc.gov/Recalls.
Skip it if you do not know her size.
[Best soft friend for awake time] Itzy Ritzy Lovey Plush and Teether Toy
Buy this if you want a first soft toy for tummy time and cuddles.
This is a small soft plush with a teething ring attached, sized for a baby to hold and for a parent to wave in front of her face. The Bump lists it for babies under 3 months.
The catch: a newborn does not hold it yet, so it is for the grown up to use.
Check the age label, check the seams for loose stuffing and keep it out of the crib.
Skip it if you worry it will end up in the crib.
[Best daily use gift] Loulou Lollipop Hooded Towel and Washcloth Set
Buy this if you want a gift the parents use almost every day.
This is a soft towel with a hood and a matching washcloth. A parent wraps a wet baby in it after the bath and the hood keeps her head warm.
The catch: a towel is not exciting to unwrap, and a new one needs a wash before first use.
Never leave a baby alone near water, check the age label and look up the set at cpsc.gov/Recalls.
Skip it if the family already owns a hooded towel.
Care and clothing gifts for a newborn
Parents rarely complain about an extra bib or a soft outfit. The trick is the size and the closure.
[Best for drool] Copper Pearl Bandana Bibs
Buy this if the baby drools or spits up a lot.
These are triangle bibs that tie or snap around a baby’s neck, so they catch drool and spit up before it reaches her clothes. They show up on three of the guides I read.
The catch: drool usually starts at about 2 to 3 months, so a newborn will grow into them.
The snaps are small parts, so check the closure often, take the bib off before sleep and read the age label.
Skip it if the family only uses cloth burp rags.
[Best first Christmas outfit] Hanna Andersson Holiday HannaSoft Stretch Sleeper
Buy this if you want a first Christmas outfit.
This is a soft stretch sleeper with a holiday print, the kind of outfit that gets photographed on Christmas morning. The Bump lists it in its 3 to 6 month section.
The catch: a newborn size is outgrown in weeks, so buy a 3 to 6 month size and expect a photo in January, not December.
Check that the fit is snug, the snaps and zipper lie flat and the age label matches her size.
Skip it if the baby has not been born yet and the size is a guess.
A book to read aloud to a newborn
A newborn does not follow the story, but she knows your voice. A board book gives you something to read for a year.
[Best gift for the whole year] Goodnight Moon board book
Buy this if you want a gift she will still use at 2.
This is the classic bedtime picture book in a thick board book edition, with a quiet rhyme about saying goodnight to a room. Read it aloud and a newborn learns the rhythm of your voice.
The catch: many families already own a copy, so ask her parents first.
A board book has no small parts, but a baby can chew the corners later, and the book stays out of the crib.
Skip it if the family already has it.
Christmas gifts to skip for a newborn
This list comes from the safe sleep pages and safety pages I read. I would leave all of it off a newborn gift list.
- Crib bumpers, pillows, plush toys and blankets for the crib. CHOC says they are not recommended because they can block a baby’s breathing.
- Toys with small parts. KidsHealth says to check a toy against a tube that is 1ΒΌ inches wide, and keep away anything that fits.
- Toys with button batteries or loose battery doors. The AAP names button batteries as a swallowing hazard for young children.
- Loud electronic toys. KidsHealth warns that a loud electronic toy can match a car horn.
- Newborn sized clothes as the main gift. A newborn outgrows them fast, so go up a size.
Gifts for the parents of a newborn
Many parents say the best gift is the one that saves them time. Peanut Butter Fingers sorts its gift guide into things a child wants and things a child needs, and the same idea works for new parents. None of these is an affiliate link.
- A gift card for a takeout meal they do not have to cook.
- A box of diapers and wipes in the next size up.
- A promise to hold the baby while they shower or nap.
- A framed photo of the three of them.
For the next stage, our Christmas present ideas for 1 year olds guide picks up where this one ends.
Frequently asked questions about Christmas gifts for a newborn
Do you buy Christmas gifts for a newborn?
Many families do, but a newborn does not need them. A small keepsake, a board book or something practical like a swaddle or a hooded towel is plenty. Most people give the parents something useful instead.
What is a good Christmas gift for a newborn?
Pick something safe, simple and useful, because Christmas gifts for newborns have to pass a safety test first. High contrast cards, a swaddle, a hooded towel, a board book and a keepsake ornament all work for a baby under 3 months.
What are the best Christmas gifts for a newborn under 3 months?
A newborn needs things to look at, a warm wrap and a parent’s voice. Cards with bold patterns, a soft swaddle and a board book to read aloud fit best. Skip toys that need hands she does not have yet.
Can a newborn have a stuffed animal in the crib?
No. The AAP guidance that CHOC summarizes says the crib should hold only the baby, the mattress and a fitted sheet. Stuffed animals and blankets are not recommended because they can block a baby’s breathing.
What size clothes should I buy a newborn for Christmas?
Go up a size. A newborn outgrows newborn clothes in weeks, so a 3 to 6 month outfit is a safer gift. If you do not know her size, a gift card or a book works better.
What should I not buy a newborn for Christmas?
Skip crib bedding, plush toys for the crib, toys with small parts and anything with a button battery. Search any battery powered gift on the CPSC recall list.
If I could wrap only one thing for a newborn, I would pick Goodnight Moon and read it out loud on Christmas morning. I can picture a tired parent, a quiet room and a baby who is asleep before the last page.
