tchotchke
noun·/ˈtʃɑːtʃ.ki/
A small trinket or decorative knickknack, often of sentimental or kitschy value. An object kept less for use than for the story it quietly claims. Modest, sometimes ridiculous, and beloved anyway.
Her shelf was a museum of tchotchkes—souvenirs, tiny animals, a snow globe that remembered every trip.
Etymology
From Yiddish tshatshke, ultimately from Slavic sources meaning “toy” or “trifle.” English borrowed the sound along with the affectionate eye-roll.
Related Words
knickknacknative English equivalent
bric-a-braca collection of small ornaments
curioan object valued for strangeness
lagniappean “extra” that often becomes one