Retro kitchen item 'making an adorable comeback' in UK homes

From chequered flooring to paisley prints, home design has evolved dramatically over the decades, with the kitchen — the beating heart of any home — frequently finding itself at the centre of passing trends and fleeting fads. From wood to granite to marble to vinyl, selecting how to dress a kitchen can prove a daunting task, with fixtures, fittings and fridges making virtually every kitchen entirely one of a kind.

While recent years have seen interior design largely dominated by magnolia walls and Scandinavian-inspired furniture, there was once a time when bold floral prints and quirky ornaments were proudly displayed throughout our homes. As with all trends, history has a habit of repeating itself, and one surprising relic from the 1970s has caught many off guard after surging back into popularity online — though you might want to hold off digging out that garish flower power tablecloth just yet.

The buzz on social media is centred squarely around vintage cookie jars and biscuit tins.

What may appear to be a rather unlikely comeback, these charming, grandmother-style biscuit tins have taken the internet by storm — particularly those crafted in the shape of a goose or hen, so it is reported.

Bird-shaped jars are steeped in nostalgia, transporting people back to their childhood days of stretching up on tiptoes to sneakily pinch a custard cream or a bourbon before darting off and acting as though nothing had happened. Goose novelty jars were merely one of numerous eccentric decorations produced during the 1970s. Whether featuring a hen, a bulldog or an old cartoon character, they proved hugely popular in countless kitchens, especially amongst grandparents.

They initially appeared in the '70s but became ubiquitous in the '80s, when vibrant crockery adorned with animals, flowers (or indeed, geese and hens) became commonplace in numerous dining rooms — a stark contrast to the beiges and creams prevalent in most homes today.

Yet for many, the jars have somehow endured as people grow attached, sentimental and increasingly unwilling to discard them.

Perhaps today it is a wave of nostalgia that has infiltrated the minimalist contemporary aesthetic, or it could even be financial. Decorating a property can prove costly, with many from younger generations turning to charity shops, car boot sales and flea markets to help kit out their homes.

Purchasing second-hand decorations can prove not only more economical but also more environmentally friendly, 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 those keen to track down their own vintage goose, she recommends thoroughly searching charity shops and second-hand stores, and if that proves unsuccessful, using the hashtag #goosecookiejar to encourage potential sellers to get in touch.