Marathon "Christmas Carols" Ad – Dec. 18, 1953

Marathon was the subject of a blog post last month that featured a November 1953 ad promoting its "Cat" gasoline. A month later, the Ohio-based petroleum company ran this ad inviting the public to stop in at any Marathon Station and pick up a free copy of a book of Christmas Carols. The ad ran in the Lorain Journal on December 18, 1953.

I like how the carolers in the ad have gathered under a Marathon sign all decked out for the holidays with a wreath and bow. 

According to the ad, Marathon had three area stations: Galbraith Marathon Service at 300 East Erie Ave. in Lorain (roughly where the Pure gas station is today); Louis Horvath at Middle Ridge and Quarry Road (where Horvath's Deli is today); and Bobrowski Marathon Service at E. 28th & Denver Ave. (where Freddy's Auto Repair is today).

When I initially scoured the internet and eBay to find a copy of the Christmas Carol giveaway book, I didn't have much luck. Perhaps this is one piece of holiday ephemera that didn't survive, I thought.

But I was wrong. When I added the word "Marathon" to my search description, one lonely, tattered copy turned up – and is on eBay right now. 

Maybe, as noted in the ad, this book of carols did bring "a special warmth to Christmas, down through generation after generation" for it to survive all these years.