My sister-in-law, Brittany, has an obsession with beige. Everything in her world—her wardrobe, her home, even her child’s toys—is some shade of neutral. When I bought my nephew, Evan, a bright red ride-on car for his fifth birthday, I knew it wouldn’t fit her colorless aesthetic, but I didn’t expect her to react the way she did. When Evan unwrapped the car, his face lit up with joy. But Brittany, with a forced smile, told him to put it away, saying it didn’t fit in their “tranquil neutrals” home. She then casually tossed it into a donation bin, crushing Evan’s happiness in an instant. Evan didn’t throw a tantrum,
though—he simply accepted it, his little shoulders slumping with a quiet resignation. I was heartbroken. So, I devised a plan to bring color back into his life. I reached out to the family and organized what I called “Operation Rainbow Riot” for Christmas. Christmas morning arrived, and I showed up at Brittany’s house with my car packed full of colorful gifts: