Kitchen item making ‘adorable’ comeback decades after it disappeared

From chequered flooring to paisley prints, home design has evolved significantly over the decades, with the kitchen often being at the forefront of trends and fashions.

From wood to granite to marble to vinyl, selecting how to decorate a kitchen can often be overwhelming with fixtures, fittings and fridges making nearly every kitchen unique.

Although in recent years interior design seems to have been dominated by magnolia walls and Scandinavian furniture, there was a time when bright, flowery prints as well as eccentric and delightful ornaments all found their way into our homes.

As with all trends, they tend to come in a cycle and one surprising fixture from the 1970s has left many surprised after again surging in popularity online – but don’t be getting the funky flower power table cloth back out just yet.

The social media buzz all revolves around vintage cookie jars or biscuit tins. What might seem like a quite bizarre item to suddenly come back into popularity, the grandma-style biscuit tins have become all the rage – particularly those shaped like a goose or hen, reportedly.

Bird-shaped jars are laden with nostalgia and remind people of their younger days reaching up and sneakily grabbing a custard cream or a bourbon before running away and pretending like nothing happened.

Goose novelty jars were just one of many of the more eccentric decorations created in the 1970s – whether it was a hen, a bulldog or an old cartoon character they were a firm favourite in many kitchens, particularly grandparents.

They first emerged in the 70s but became a staple in the 80s, when bright crockery with animals, flowers (or, for that matter, geese and hens) printed on them became a staple of many dining rooms – a far cry from the beiges and creams of most places today.

But for many the jars have somehow stood the test of time as people become attached, sentimental and more and more reluctant to throw them away.

Perhaps now it is a sense of nostalgia that has seeped its way into the minimal modern design, or it may even be cost. Decorating a house can be an expensive job with many people in younger generations turning to charity shops, car boot sales and flea markets to help furnish their home.

Purchasing pre-owned decorations can not only prove more economical but also environmentally conscious, something Dianna Wilson from House Digest has also observed.

She writes: “Their resurgence in popularity may have something to do with sustainability and the rise of thrifting culture. Or maybe they remind us of a time when life was slower and simpler.

“Then again, maybe they’re just adorable!” For anyone on the hunt for their own vintage goose, she recommends having a thorough search in charity shops and thrift stores, and if all else fails, using the #goosecookiejar to try and attract sellers to you.