My 2 cents: each person wants to give something that means something to them, and they hope it might have meaning to you. I usually send out Seasons Greetings cards to my family and friends, many who are religious. It is simply my way of waving at them. I get Merry Christmas cards from them. I note in a database I put together the date as Dec 25 year. That tells me the last time I had contact with them. If I haven't heard from them for a few years, I don't send them a seasons greetings card. I keep family or friend pictures and/or letters. The weirdest present was a 16 inch statue of St. Peter stepping on the devil. The card my house will never be robbed and that it had been blessed by a priest (weird). It's from Peru. I accepted it in the spirit in which it was given. I've forgotten about it, until now -- I need to pass it along to a Catholic friend.