Baby's First Christmas Gifts: Safe, Simple Picks for 2026

A baby’s first Christmas is mostly for the grown-ups: the baby won’t remember it, but you will. So the best gifts are of two kinds. Keepsakes you’ll pull out every December, and simple things the baby can actually use now: a book to read together, a toy that’s safe to chew, something to splash with in the bath. Every pick below is rated by its maker for the baby’s age, and we checked each one for recalls on the CPSC’s database.

If you’re shopping for dad from the baby, see gifts from baby to dad. For the grandparents, see gifts for new grandparents.

Before you buy: four safety checks

Toys for babies have to meet federal rules, but the age on the box only helps if you read it.

• Small parts. The CPSC says children’s products for kids under 3 that “present a choking, aspiration, or ingestion hazard because of small parts are banned.” The AAP says to make sure all toys and parts are larger than your child’s mouth. Toys for older kids carry a warning not to buy them for children under a certain age, so check the label, especially on gifts from older cousins.
• Button batteries. The AAP warns about “newly opened gifts of electronic toys and gadgets” at the holidays, and says children’s books that play sounds may contain small batteries too. Make sure the battery compartment needs a screwdriver; if it doesn’t, the AAP says to consider taping it shut. A swallowed button battery is an emergency: “Take your child immediately to an emergency room!”
• Magnets, cords and pellets. The AAP says to avoid stuffed toys with small bean-like pellets, to remove loose ribbons or strings, and that swallowing more than one high-powered magnet “can be life-threatening.”
• Nothing soft in the crib. The AAP says no blankets, pillows or stuffed toys in the baby’s bed. A plush toy is for awake time on the floor.

Simple beats smart. In its report on toys, the AAP says “the best toys need not be flashy or expensive or come with an app.” It adds that the most educational toy “is one that fosters interactions between caregivers and children.” Translation for dads: the toy matters less than you on the floor with it.

Keepsake ornaments dated 2026

A dated ornament is the gift you’ll still use when the baby is 30. It’s for the tree, not the baby: the AAP says to avoid decorations that are “sharp or breakable” within a young child’s reach and to keep trimmings with small parts away from children.

If you’d rather have something less fragile, or want a pink or blue version, Hallmark’s penguin is plastic:

For a homemade version with the baby’s own footprint, see the Pearhead photo ornament in gifts from baby to dad. Pearhead says its ornament kit’s ink pad is for newborns only; for an older baby, its medium and large clean-touch pad takes hands or feet up to 3 by 5 inches. Hallmark also makes a dated Grandbaby’s First Christmas ornament for the grandparents.

Dad’s job: hang it on a high branch, and write the baby’s name and age on the box before it goes back in the attic.

Books to read together

Books are the easiest safe gift: the CPSC’s small parts rules don’t apply to “Books and other articles made of paper,” and reading together is exactly the kind of play the AAP says matters most.

Two more father-and-baby board books, Guess How Much I Love You and Daddy Hugs, are in gifts from baby to dad.

Dad’s job: make one book yours. Read it at the same time every night, in the same voice.

A first toy that’s safe for the age

For a baby under 6 months, one good grab toy is plenty. Look for a maker age of 0 and up, nothing small enough to come off, and something that’s easy to clean.

Skip anything loud: the AAP says to avoid loud toys “to prevent damage to your child’s hearing.” Skip strings over the crib too: the AAP says toys strung across the crib must come down when the baby starts pushing up on hands and knees or turns 5 months, whichever comes first.

For the bath

The AAP says young babies “don’t really need bath toys,” since the water is exciting enough. Once the baby can sit with support, a few floating toys help. Pick ones without holes, which trap water and grow mold:

Bath toys don’t change the main rule. The AAP says “Never leave a baby alone in the bath, even for an instant.” For the full routine, see how to bathe a newborn.

Matching Christmas pajamas

The photo you’ll actually frame. Burt’s Bees Baby makes the same print from newborn to men’s sizes, and the baby’s sleep-and-play suit has a two-way zipper for diaper changes. The baby sizes in the matching sets stop at 6 to 9 months, so check the size for an older baby. Burt’s Bees says its baby sleep-and-play pieces have a “Slim and snug fit following regulated safety standards.” For winter bedtime, see how to dress a baby for winter.

After the gifts are open

• Clear the wrapping. The AAP says to remove wrapping paper, bags, ribbons and bows after gifts are opened, because they can be suffocation and choking hazards. The CPSC says to throw away plastic wrapping right away.
• Check new batteries. Remote controls, light-up ornaments, musical books and flameless candles all use small batteries. The AAP says to secure the compartments.
• Watch the older kids’ gifts. The AAP says many choking incidents happen when older siblings give small objects to younger ones.

More on the holidays with a newborn: Christmas with a newborn.

Ordering in time

USPS recommends mailing gifts for delivery before December 25 by Thursday, December 17 (Ground Advantage), Friday, December 18 (Priority Mail) or Saturday, December 19 (Priority Mail Express), within the lower 48 states. For online orders, check the delivery date at checkout. Deals on baby gear are on our Black Friday and Cyber Monday pages.

FAQ

What do you get a baby for their first Christmas?

Something to keep and something to use. A 2026-dated ornament or a footprint keepsake for the parents, and for the baby, a board book, a simple grab toy rated for their age, bath toys once they can sit, or matching pajamas. The AAP says simple toys and time together matter more than electronic ones.

Are stuffed animals safe for babies?

For supervised play, yes, if they’re made for the baby’s age: seams secure, no loose ribbons and no small bean-like pellets inside, the AAP says. They don’t go in the crib. The AAP says no stuffed toys, pillows or blankets in a baby’s bed.

What toys should a baby not have?

Anything with small parts or meant for kids 3 and up, toys with button batteries in a compartment that opens without a tool, high-powered magnets, long strings or cords, and loud toys. Check the age on the label.

Is a baby’s first Christmas ornament safe for the baby?

It’s a decoration, not a toy. Hallmark’s porcelain ornaments are breakable, and the AAP says to keep sharp or breakable decorations and trimmings with small parts out of a young child’s reach. Hang it high.

When should I order baby’s first Christmas gifts?

For mailed gifts, USPS recommends sending by December 17 (Ground Advantage), December 18 (Priority Mail) or December 19 (Priority Mail Express) for delivery before Christmas in the lower 48 states.

Sources

• Small Parts for Toys and Children’s Products, Toy Safety, Button Cell and Coin Batteries and Holiday Safety, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
• How to Buy Safe Toys, What to Look for in a Toy, Best Toys Go Back to the Basics, Choking Prevention, Button Battery Injuries in Children, Small Battery Safety at Home, Dangers of Magnetic Toys, Holiday Decoration Safety, How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe and Bathing Your Newborn, American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
• 2026 holiday shipping dates, USPS
• Product pages: Rocking Horse 2026, Penguin 2026 and Grandbaby’s First Christmas Blocks 2026, Hallmark; Pat the Bunny Board Book, Random House; Indestructibles: Baby Loves Christmas, Workman; Winkel, Manhattan Toy; Bath Bobbers, Munchkin; Matching pajamas, Burt’s Bees Baby; Clean-Touch Ink Pad, Pearhead