Reddit has a feature called Reddit Gold. Basically, for four real-life dollars, you can buy Gold for yourself or someone else. Having an account with Gold gives some (very minor) perks, such as being able to display 1500 comments on one page instead of the default maximum of 500. Users can also buy Gold for specific comments that have been posted. In other words, if you write something that is particularly insightful or funny or informative or interesting, another user may choose to "gild" that comment.
Each purchase of Gold lasts one month. Gildings can be accumulated, eg if two separate users liked your comment, and both gild you on the same day, you'd have the Gold perks for two months. If, during those two months, you write something else that someone felt was worthy of a gilding, you'd get another month tacked on. And so on and so forth.
In December 2014 I wrote something that someone felt was worthy of Gold. In the days and weeks and months following that, I continued posting comments that people, for some reason, rather liked, and I got gilded enough that my Gold subscription just kept continuing. But I've been less active on Reddit lately, so I haven't been gilded recently, and as a result my Gold ran out today.
I always wondered what gilding got ya, aside from the badge.Reddit gold also allows you to see what comments are new to a thread since the last time you viewed it, aka what should be basic functionality. It also allows you to buy shit from their partners, so... Yay?
I too usually have Reddit gold, but usually from my Blood Bowl articles.
--Patrick