Kevin Milne: Christmas tree refunds

*We bought a pine tree in the first week of December. By Christmas week, it was definitely past its best and we threw it out and replaced it with another. Do you think we have the right to demand our money back? How long should they last?*

There are important factors to be taken into consideration. How much sunlight was the Christmas tree standing in? The more sunlight and heat the shorter the life. Was it standing in clean, cold water or in a bucket of dirt or sand? Water is better than sand and dirt.

Did you buy the tree already cut or from a farm where it’s cut in front of you? If it’s from a tree farm, at least you know how long it has been severed.

If you bought your tree already cut at the start of December, it’s fair to assume the branch may have been cut more than a month out from Christmas Day. Unless the tree started to look poorly within a week, you’re not in a great position to demand your money back.