There is nothing anti-religious about any of this in theory. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. He usually doesn't send anything to me, but sometimes he does. No doubt we are both afraid that if we do start exchanging gifts that it will become permanent and cost us both a bundle over the years. You both feel like idiots.
People do develop skills over time.
The idea in gift giving, is rather like economics. You want to run an even balance of trade. In other words, you want to spend as much money on gifts as the gifts that you receive are worth. If the game is played extremely well, the gifts can be returned and converted into money, which is what you really need, because you have spent so much on presents. Luckily my parents know this and every year some send me an ugly sweater and money.