Non-marble-related reflections as I scan the articles looking for any references to marbles ...
... Kinda interesting to think about the explicit commercialization of Christmas as described in a trade magazine in 1931. Don't know when the commercialization started. Just kinda interesting to see the mechanics of it at this stage.
... And then when I see a statement like "Stores are going after Christmas business hammer and tongs and are leaving no stone unturned to tell the people that this year of all years Santa Claus shouldn't be allowed to forget their kiddies," I think about this being after the start of the Great Depression.
... And on a lighter note, one of the draws one department store used to get customers in was "Free Talkies Daily".