Interesting thoughts, Mr Wittgenstein! I still think there is a past/future element in the prayer/wish thing. You WISH things HAD BEEN different. Your PRAY for a result in the FUTURE. There is the case where you "blow out the candles and make a wish", but it has always sounded odd to me. "I wish someone would give me a Corvette" versus "I wish I hadn't crashed my Corvette." The first sounds wrong to my ear, while the second sounds right. Am I unique in this view of a wish being about the past, and a prayer being about the future?
'I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!' =D =D =D I understand your point, though - but I see a reality where prayer can be given for thanking past events. Look at how athletes give thanks to god for their performance under the limelight, for example..