DY
“Is that a retraction? Because that’s not what you said.”
not a retraction at all. If Joseph had said Look it may come from the goyim, and if it does then it may be assur. I wouldnt have argued so vehmently certainly not year after year.
My argument is with the blanket dismissal of something as innocuous as gift giving and as practiced by most yidden and many frum ones as chukas akum. That is silly for several reasons.
The other idea that is silly is to view gift giving as a religious act. In spite of what you googled.