Don’t Forget to Stop and Smell… the Pine Needles!!
While the old adage “Don’t Forget to stop and smell the roses” is not specific to any time of year, it is especially true during the holiday season. When the calendar flips to “DECEMBER” and the countdown drops below twenty-five sleeps until the Big Man visits, it is easy to get lost in the hustle & bustle of it all. We get mesmerized by the twinkling lights, the vivid green & red decorations, and the festive music floating through the air and shift into “high-speed mode” to get our seemingly never-ending holiday to-do list completed!
Beyond the sights and sounds of the season, one distinct sign that it is undeniably this time of year is the increased number of semi-trucks and trailers on the roads. As we drive to holiday parties and crowded shopping centers, we see them everywhere. According to the American Trucking Association (ATA), semi-trailers in the US transported approximately 11.27 billion tons of freight in 2024. That is a MASSIVE amount of stuff! That is 500+ fresh pine trees or 12,000 holiday wreaths or literally millions of twinkly lights in boxes per tailer! With big numbers like that, it is easy to see how one would get caught up in the whirlwind and enormity of the season.
Cue the old adage with a holiday twist: Don’t Forget to Stop and Smell…the Pine Needles! (Or maybe it’s sugar cookies baking in the oven or chestnuts roasting on an open fire or marshmallows melting in rich, velvety peppermint hot chocolate). Take a minute to stop and be still and see what is beyond all the tonnage being transported and all the running around. It is the spirit of the season – hope, love, and joy.
Small Joys & Blessings
Savoring the Moment
There is no shortage of ways to be reminded of the spirit of the season. You just have to STOP and think about it! To celebrate the season, we asked our DTS team to tell us what brings them joy during the holidays and what they look forward to every year. Here’s what they shared:
What the holiday season means to the DTS Team…
“Bringing family together creating memories and new traditions to be passed down for years to come. Grateful and thankful to be able to share the holidays with family & friends. A chance to be able to share our love with the community. My favorite day is when all the family comes together and decorates and reminisce through old memories. Outside of exchanging gifts, food, and family, I enjoy just the peace of having all my children and their families together and such a comfort to see the joy on their faces.”
“It means rocking around the Christmas tree! And enjoying the spirit everybody has.”
“This season fills me with gratitude, reminding me that God has been my constant through every moment. It also makes me cherish the precious time I get to spend with my children, who bring joy and meaning to my days.”
“The spirit of the season means closing out the year with knowing we got through forgiveness and letting go of the past. I will reflect from the year by opening another new year’s door with a positive attitude, continuing to be grateful for all I have and who I have, making peace & to be at peace allowing me to enjoy life as I do today.”
“Holiday spirit is bonfires, hot cocoa, family games, LRC, visiting relatives, and most of all… time off! The spirit of Christmas is a little chaotic, and that’s exactly what makes it so special and unlike any other holiday. Being able to pause, soak it all in, and enjoy the blessings we’re given, that’s the true spirit of Christmas to me.”
“When I think of the holidays, I imagine hot coco, cozy nights in watching movies, Christmas eve is always spent with extended family which usually involves dinner and gifts at midnight. Christmas day is always with my closest family members, and we all make breakfast together and open more gifts. What makes it special is the time spent with family, the yearly traditions, and the memories you are creating.”
And that is how we wrap up this year’s blogs – with gratitude, joy, and the shared memories that make this season so meaningful. The DTS Team’s words remind us that this time of year is about slowing down, appreciating what we have, and finding beauty in both the quiet and the chaos. Thank you for being part of what makes DTS so special.
From our family to yours!!
As the year draws to a close, we are reflecting on what we are grateful for, and it is definitely our amazing customers and vendors. (It is one of our favorite parts of doing business!) We appreciate you and are thankful for your trust and partnership with Desert Trailer Systems this year.
We wish you a cozy and magical holiday season filled with warmth, relaxation, and quality time with loved ones, and the happiest new year to come!
The DTS Team
