That's actually an awesome idea. I'm like you -- I'm not a fan of getting presents generally, and not a fan of celebrating my birthday. I think it's an irrelevant date. I also hate surprise gifts, which drives my fiancée mad.
In The Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit tradition is that the birthday person gives gifts to their friends instead of the other way around, and I like that. If I could afford it I would do that (yes, that's a cop out).
Too bad my birthday's past (Aug 6) or I would do something similar to what you're doing. For my birthday my best friend treated me to a dinner at a terrace overlooking Paris (at the Arab World Institute -- the service and food were bad, but the sight was hard to beat), and afterwards we went home to have dessert with my fiancée. Dinner with loved ones in a great setting is really the best gift there could've been.
Kudos.
fredwilson
· 4 months ago
happy birthday pascal-emmanuel!
Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry
· 4 months ago
Thanks! You too.
ShanaC
· 4 months ago
Happy Birthday.
I'm calling you out on not giving gifts. My first year in college I baked two large peppermint chiffon cakes (which I mixed by hand and had swirly colors inside), covered them with chocolate, and served them to my living group in my dorm). I also made a mushroom salad. I was friends with the people, and some of them I am still extremely close with. A good gift doesn't have to be expensive, it just has to be from the heart.
Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry
· 4 months ago
You're absolutely right. Which is why I said it's a cop-out. I'll try to do better next year.
bijan
· 4 months ago
great idea fred. just donated.
Venkat
· 4 months ago
Well, Fred, an early happy birthday and all, but you might be in the minority in believing August is a good month.
Slate has run an article every year for the last few criticizing August, and this year, they propose banning it altogether
Enjoy :)
Venkat
fredwilson
· 4 months ago
I like august a lot. Its hot and steamy in the city but nice at the beach. And I take a week off every year at the end of the month.
Californian
· 4 months ago
August is the best (mine's the last day)! Happy birthday Fred! Such a great idea. My mom's just like you, so I'll see if she wants to do this next year.
robe1221
· 4 months ago
This is an awesome idea. Thank you for sharing this!
timo
· 4 months ago
I am feeling quite honored. I was born in August 20th too, but in 1991. And I really love your idea and the widget. (My aunt was born on August 20th, too, so it's a good date! ;))
drewmeyers
· 4 months ago
You set a great example for others -- kudos Fred.
rkorba
· 4 months ago
Went off-piste, but happy bday from a fellow 40-something -- my favorite one (esp my local menlo park/east palo alto schools) gets much of my time and zeal, and now a fred-prodded gift....
I wasn't aware that Donors Choose had such a great "birthday challenge" feature. Great idea on their end!
DaveinHackensack
· 4 months ago
I'm surprised by your choice of charities, considering that you didn't send your kids to public schools. Why not fund a scholarship to your kids' private school instead, so some lucky kid currently in a public school can get the same education your kids did? Or why not promote a charity that's related to your work in venture capital? One example that comes to mind along those lines is Business Council for Peace (formerly Business Women for Peace, if memory serves).
fredwilson
· 4 months ago
We do fund scholarships to my kids' private school so that kids who can't afford a private school can still attend one
We give to a lot of different non-profits
What I like about donors choose is the way it allows public school teachers to bypass the bureacracy and raise money directly via the internet
DaveinHackensack
· 4 months ago
OK, I see.
Thanks for mentioning Donor's Choice. I'll mention it to my sister, who is a public school teacher in Manhattan.
Steven Kane
· 4 months ago
48 "downright old"?
Now you tell me! I turned 47 last Tuesday (8/4).
fredwilson
· 4 months ago
Another august birthday!
Siminoff
· 4 months ago
Happy Birthday Fred, 48 is not that old... I mean you are only 16 years older than me:)
fredwilson
· 4 months ago
Thanks. You've done a lot at age 32 my friend
leighp
· 4 months ago
Great idea - read about it on the DonorsChoose blog and just made a donation in honor of my own mom - a recently retired public school teacher (whose birthday is also August 20th) and who gave up countless days taking me to and front music lessons as a child. The music education programs I had in school made a huge difference in my life, and all kids should have music as part of a complete, quality education!
All Comments
In The Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit tradition is that the birthday person gives gifts to their friends instead of the other way around, and I like that. If I could afford it I would do that (yes, that's a cop out).
Too bad my birthday's past (Aug 6) or I would do something similar to what you're doing. For my birthday my best friend treated me to a dinner at a terrace overlooking Paris (at the Arab World Institute -- the service and food were bad, but the sight was hard to beat), and afterwards we went home to have dessert with my fiancée. Dinner with loved ones in a great setting is really the best gift there could've been.
Kudos.
I'm calling you out on not giving gifts. My first year in college I baked two large peppermint chiffon cakes (which I mixed by hand and had swirly colors inside), covered them with chocolate, and served them to my living group in my dorm). I also made a mushroom salad. I was friends with the people, and some of them I am still extremely close with. A good gift doesn't have to be expensive, it just has to be from the heart.
better next year.
Slate has run an article every year for the last few criticizing August, and this year, they propose banning it altogether
Enjoy :)
Venkat
Happy birthday Fred! Such a great idea. My mom's just like you, so I'll see if she wants to do this next year.
http://www.ihaveadreamfoundation.org/html/impac...
I wasn't aware that Donors Choose had such a great "birthday challenge" feature. Great idea on their end!
We give to a lot of different non-profits
What I like about donors choose is the way it allows public school teachers to bypass the bureacracy and raise money directly via the internet
Thanks for mentioning Donor's Choice. I'll mention it to my sister, who is a public school teacher in Manhattan.
Now you tell me! I turned 47 last Tuesday (8/4).
Happy Birthday, Fred.