So let me get this straight. It's YOUR birthday and that means I am supposed to pay money to some third party of your choice. Do I have that right? When did this become a thing?
If it is the anniversary of your birth day, I'm fine with following social conventions. I'll send you well wishes, get you a card, and even buy you a gift commensurate with the length and breadth of our friendship. I'm a pretty good gift-giver truth be told. But what's this idea of giving money to some charity for your birthday? Why bring some charity into this arrangement?
Aside - I am reminded of Mitch Hedberg's donut joke. “I bought a doughnut and they gave me a receipt for the doughnut; I don't need a receipt for the doughnut. I'll just give you the money, and you give me the doughnut, end of transaction. We don't need to bring ink and paper into this. I just can't imagine a scenario where I would have to prove that I bought a doughnut.”
The anniversary of your birth day comes around once a year. Enjoy it. Accept gifts if people want to give you something. Stop pretending you don't want to acknowledge how old you are, and stop pretending to show how socially conscious you are by telling people to donate to some charity as a way of somehow celebrating you. Donate to charities all you want but you don't have to crow about it or tell people to do the same thing.
All that said, happy birthday!
If it is the anniversary of your birth day, I'm fine with following social conventions. I'll send you well wishes, get you a card, and even buy you a gift commensurate with the length and breadth of our friendship. I'm a pretty good gift-giver truth be told. But what's this idea of giving money to some charity for your birthday? Why bring some charity into this arrangement?
Aside - I am reminded of Mitch Hedberg's donut joke. “I bought a doughnut and they gave me a receipt for the doughnut; I don't need a receipt for the doughnut. I'll just give you the money, and you give me the doughnut, end of transaction. We don't need to bring ink and paper into this. I just can't imagine a scenario where I would have to prove that I bought a doughnut.”
The anniversary of your birth day comes around once a year. Enjoy it. Accept gifts if people want to give you something. Stop pretending you don't want to acknowledge how old you are, and stop pretending to show how socially conscious you are by telling people to donate to some charity as a way of somehow celebrating you. Donate to charities all you want but you don't have to crow about it or tell people to do the same thing.
All that said, happy birthday!
and stop pretending to show how socially conscious you are by telling people to donate to some charity as a way of somehow celebrating you
it was a satire though so it's funny that people actually do this now unironically?