Seems to be luck of the draw - over 25 years, I've had two (one from last Christmas) that retained their red bracts for two or three months, and were still growing by the next Christmas. All the others either didn't make it to Christmas Day or expired by end of Boxing Day. However, if you wanted red bracts on a plant that's decided to survive, its a faff - I seem to recall it requires 6 weeks of darkness before it produces those red bracts again.

The one I bought for this year 5 days ago has so far lost about 10 leaves and the red bracts are showing signs of blackening and shrivelling - I doubt it'll make it to Christmas Day. Luckily, I've bought a red flowered Kalanchoe as well, which will last for quite a while.

Hi, I agree with Bamboo, the mere act of taking them from the supermarket to your car, and from your car to your home, is enough to start them off dropping their leaves, and they're certainly not worth the ' faffing ' {love that word }about, to get them to flower, or more accurately, produce the red bracts the following year, if you like them, and I don't, it's much easier to just spend a couple of pounds each year, and get a new one, Derek.

Meanwhile, to get the maximum use out of this year's, pick ones with just one branching stem per pot--the ones with several cuttings per pot rarely last as long. Keep them from freezing from the store shelf to your home, or office--we have to warn customers to keep them from roasting in the car, here! In their new home, keep them cool, 13º-20º C. Anything warmer would cause the leaves to drop off, and the bracts to wilt. Remove any decorative wraps immediately, or slit the bottoms, so they can drain freely. Water only when the top 1/2 cm of soil is dry--slight underwatering is preferable to overwatering, but every time they wilt, the bracts will get a little more white or brown around the edges. Humidity helps, but is not essential.

I have last years still in full leaf but no red bracts. they need 14hrs of total uninterrupted dark from October onwards. I did do it one year just to see if I could.
I tend to water it only when the leaves are showing signs of wilting. They are an Euphorbia [Mexican I think in origin] so that really tells you their preferred conditions.
they are very susceptible to draughts as previously mentioned.
Our local Morrison's has large ones at only £2.50 so I will pick up a red one today.

So pleased to see these comments re poinsettia. They have never really appealed to me and I thought I'd managed not to acquire one this year, when, ding-dong! one arrived on Christmas Eve! It is certainly very pretty and a bright splash of red for Christmas, but now I've read these posts I'll be consigning it to the compost heap when it drops without feeling guilty. I've tried and failed to keep them before.

Many thanks for all your replies, after several unsuccessful years I will resort to buying them every year.

Regards