Give them my regards!

We had friends visiting the other day and my mum phoned while they were here. "oh give her my love" mum said when I told her who was visiting.

Funny isn't it the things we say to each other. Give her my love, tell him I send my regards, give them my best wishes when you see them. What does it all mean.

How do you give someone the love from someone else, love is an intangible emotion that you can feel for someone or something but you can't give it to someone on behalf of another.
What are regards, why send them. Is saying "SEND her my regards" the same as "GIVE her my regards", or when asked to send the regards do I have to actually post then even if I am seeing the person.

Assuming regards, best wishes, love or whatever can be given by a third party it seems lazy, rude even, to expect someone to give them on our behalf. Most people have a phone, cell phone, email or an address to which a letter can be sent, yet how often have you picked up the phone and the caller simply said "I just called to give you my regards, goodbye" or opened the letter to find "Regards" the only word inside.

So come on, don't ask me to give your regards, pick up the phone, pick up a pen or type an email and darn well give them yourself.