knickknacks / fuss
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knickknacks
Colloquial term for unnecessary, often small and worthless objects that serve only as decoration or are perceived as superfluous. It has a slightly derogatory meaning.
Räum bitte den ganzen Schnickschnack von deinem Schreibtisch, ich brauche Platz.
Please clear all that knickknack stuff off your desk; I need space.
fuss
Colloquial term for unnecessary complications, superfluous formalities, or complicated talk.
Mach doch nicht so einen Schnickschnack und sag einfach, was du willst.
Don't make such a fuss and just say what you want.
The word is a reduplication, meaning a word is doubled ('Schnick' and 'Schnack'). In German, such forms are often used for colloquial, slightly derogatory, or playful terms for a disordered collection of things.
Was ist dieser ganze Schnickschnack auf dem Tisch?
What is all this knickknack stuff on the table?
'Schnickschnack' is almost always used as an uncountable word in the singular. You speak of 'ganzen Schnickschnack' (all the knickknacks / all that stuff) as a mass, not of individual 'Schnickschnacks'.
Ich mag keine Geschenke mit so viel Schnickschnack.
I don't like gifts with so much unnecessary stuff.
This word clearly belongs to colloquial speech and has a slightly negative or mocking undertone. It expresses that you consider something unnecessary or superfluous.
Das neue Handy hat viele Funktionen, aber ich finde das meiste ist nur Schnickschnack.
The new phone has many features, but I think most of them are just gimmicks.
Whether unnecessary things or unnecessary complications are meant can be recognized from the verb. Verbs like 'wegräumen' (to clear away) or 'kaufen' (to buy) point to objects, while the phrase 'einen Schnickschnack machen' (to make a fuss) refers to superfluous behavior.
Bitte räum deinen Schnickschnack vom Sofa.
Please clear your stuff off the sofa.
In the meaning of 'unnötige Umstände' (unnecessary complications), the word is often used in fixed expressions. Very common are 'ohne (viel) Schnickschnack' (without much fuss) or 'einen Schnickschnack um etwas machen' (to make a fuss about something).
Erkläre es mir bitte einfach und ohne Schnickschnack.
Please explain it to me simply and without fuss.
kitsch
Kitsch and Schnickschnack can both be used disparagingly when talking about decorations. Kitsch mainly criticizes a design as tasteless, garish, or overly sentimental. Schnickschnack refers more to small, unnecessary, or worthless decorative objects, regardless of their particular style.
Die vielen kleinen Figuren auf dem Regal sind für ihn überflüssiger Schnickschnack.
To him, the many little figurines on the shelf are just unnecessary knickknacks.
Die grellen Engelsfiguren auf dem Regal sind für ihn reiner Kitsch.
The garish angel figurines on the shelf are pure kitsch to him.
