Betsy on Etsy: Ornaments and Decorations Gift Guide

Look, I like the holidays as much as anyone. The compulsory travel, the congested roads and airports, the strained hours with once-a-year relatives, the five to seven pounds I’ll be packing on … what’s not to love?

The truth is, holidays are full of hassles. But these finds on Etsy mean that dressing up the house doesn’t need to be one of them.

No tree was harmed in the making of these tree branch snowflake ornaments ($40). They’re carved from limbs which departed the trunk all by themselves.

I like the elegant simplicity of Lucie Veilleux’s maple stripe wood star ($20).

For $20, these colorful paper jingle bell pinwheels make a perfect hostess gift, or a festive addition to the holiday decor.

And they say no one’s got any use for the printed page anymore. This literary garland was made from the upcycled text of an old copy of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

Recycled bicycle Star of David Menorahs from rejuicedbikespdx for $100-$125. (What else were you going to make out of that chainring?)

Laura Allison’s grey wool rosette wreaths ($30) offer pleasantly subdued decoration – and hanging them won’t make your hands sticky.

Traditional decoration, like this pine cone wreath ($70), brings a palpable feeling of the season into any room.

Lithuanian maker Vida notes that her holiday wreath, made from Lamb’s ear and aluminum wire, would make a fine centerpiece or candle ring.