“No! No!! No!!!”

It’s not what you typically hear from a 2-year-old on Christmas morning, but it’s exactly what my granddaughter Adeline cried out as her mother Lauren tried to get her to walk into the room where Santa had been.

Maybe it’s the way Lauren said it.

“Santa came to the house last night.”

“No Santa!” Adeline said.

“Yes. He brought you presents.”

“No Santa.”

“Let’s see what he brought.”

“No! No!! No!!!”

Then Lauren carried her into the room where my daughters Elise and Victoria waited with me, our cameras in place to catch Adeline’s joyous reaction to Santa’s visit.

We’re still waiting.

As soon as Lauren brought Adeline into the room, her eyes landed on the large, red, stuffed Santa bag.

Adeline screamed again.

Did I mention that Adeline hates Santa?

A fact upon which she and my other granddaughter Olivia agree.

They like the stories and songs about him, but the man in the red suit terrifies them, and we have the pictures to prove it.

The thought of said man entering our home for any reason was too much for Adeline to handle and from her reaction I’m sure she thought that he was in the  bag.

Elise quickly began to empty the bag of its brightly-wrapped contents and piled them onto Adeline’s new table and chairs.

Only then, only when Adeline was assured that Santa had left the building did she relax, unwrap and enjoy her gifts.

I wanted to say, “See Adeline? Things aren’t always what they seem.

“Don’t attach former fears to present and future events.

“We learn from the past, but those lessons shouldn’t paralyze us from moving forward.

“The large red bag may look like it can hide the dreaded, bearded man, but it can also hold a host of surprises. I’d rather die believing that something wonderful is just around the corner than to live daily in dread.”

Had I said that, it would have been as much for my benefit as Adeline’s.

Ronny Michel may be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com.