Caitríona Redmond: Unwanted Christmas gift? Here are your options

If you do get any unwanted Christmas presents, you may not be able to take them all back, writes Caitríona Redmond

To exchange an unwanted gift, the item should be in the original wrapper, with labels attached. This is particularly important when it comes to clothing items. You'll also need a receipt and you'll have to check the shop's returns or gift policy

Now that Christmas is gone and the new year is only a little bit of time away, you may be looking over your Christmas gifts and thinking some of them are not quite your thing. Whether you can return them back to the original retailer though depends on whether or not you have a receipt.

If you take anything from my column this week, it’s to make sure you hold on to your receipts when you’re buying or receiving gifts in future. Just because you’ve received an unwanted gift does not automatically entitle you to return it or reselect another item from the same retailer.

If you’re lucky, the person who gave you the gift has attached a gift or original receipt. A gift receipt discloses that the item was bought from a specific location, without disclosing the full value.

When returning your gift, you’re entitled to exchange the item for something of an equivalent value but not a refund.

Without a receipt, your options are small. You can re-gift, so you’d give it to somebody else who you think would benefit from the gift more. You can also donate or recycle the unwanted gift.

I’m a big fan of donating unwanted gifts — keep an eye out for unwanted gift drives from homeless charities who will be looking for items like shower gel and deodorant, and socks etc in the Christmas aftermath. Boxes of chocolates are always gratefully received by the local Meals on Wheels too.

I got caught out by not having a receipt a few years back when I received a beautiful box of cosmetics that weren’t suitable for me. I brought them back to the retailer, and despite the box being still sealed with labels, without a receipt I was unable to return or exchange the cosmetics.

The box went straight back into my shopping bag and I held onto it until I could regift the cosmetics to somebody else.

As a gift-giver I am always happy to hand over a receipt or help with an exchange. In fact, I’d find an unused or unwanted gift more embarrassing.

With the ‘magic’ receipt you can go back to the retailer and ask for more help. That said, there are a few important things to note when you take your gift back.

'Be patient, understand that retail workers may be under pressure at this time of the year and be courteous. You’re more likely to receive grace than if you’re irate.'

Firstly, the item should be in the original wrapper, with labels attached. This is particularly important when it comes to clothing items. It has been known to happen where people get clothing for Christmas day and pop it on for a couple of hours and then want to return it for full value. Keeping the label attached protects the retailers from people chancing this.

There is no legal obligation on any business to accept an unwanted gift do to change their mind. Don’t just take it from me — that comes from the CCPC (Competition and Consumer Protection Commission).

If the item is in pristine condition and there is nothing wrong with it, you are at the mercy of the store’s returns or gift policy. Make sure you check with the store before you rock up with an unwanted gift. Many stores have a 30-day policy in place, or an extended policy over the Christmas period. If in doubt, ask first.

If the item is of poor quality, or it’s not as described, or it’s broken, or not fit for purpose then proof of purchase is the most important factor here. A receipt is helpful, but proof of purchase can also be extended to a bank statement or card transactions. The retailer has three options open to them...

Repair, replace, or refund.

The retailer will first offer to repair the broken item. This depends on the broken item being repairable.

If the gift cannot be repaired, then the next step for the retailer is to replace it. Replacement does not always happen, particularly for specific Christmas gifts because they may be short-run items or have seasonal packaging.

Finally, if the item can’t be repaired or replaced then the retailer must offer you a refund.

If the item you’ve bought is outside of a standard warranty, for example a TV that is two years old but has still clapped out, you still have rights. Providing you still have proof of purchase, return to the vendor and explain that you would reasonably expect your item to last longer than two years — in fact for up to six years. 

Under the sale of goods act, the vendor is obliged to examine the product to see if it’s fit for purpose. Providing you’re not the culprit; you should have a good case for a replacement TV!

I often think that the first two weeks after Christmas are even more stressful than Advent for retailers and customer service agents. Remember it’s not their fault if you don’t like the gift you’ve received. Be patient, understand that retail workers may be under pressure at this time of the year and be courteous. You’re more likely to receive grace than if you’re irate.

Redmond Recommends

It’s time to start thinking about resolutions. For 2026 I’d love if you would consider something that differs from ‘walking every day’ or ‘drinking a litre or two of water a day’.

The cost of living has been creeping up — paying our bills and putting food on the table is getting more difficult. Can you
resolve to be like Santa and check all the prices twice, and don’t buy from the naughty companies who are charging more or not supporting Irish businesses? That’s my New Year wish for you.

Let’s make 2026 the year we are more savvy about what we buy.

Remember, for you, the money is better in your pocket than in somebody else’s.