[crashryan]

At first I didn't understand what this "brick" business was all about. After reading several descriptions I got the message: the company sells empty boxes done up as bricks. The buyer fills the boxes with candy, builds a display of these "bricks," and lets the kids disassemble the display. Each kid gets a brickful of candy. Unless they stash an extra brick or two under their clothes when nobody's looking. I've heard of Christmas pageants, of course, but this is the first time I've heard about candy-box giveaways tied to them. It seems odd that while the catalogue is addressed to Sunday schools, only two of the pictured displays, and none of the products, have an overtly religious theme. The rest of them stress Santa Claus, snow, and family celebrations (though a couple of these scenes do include religious symbols). Notice on page 21 an ad for "Yellow Kid goods," merch featuring the famous newspaper strip character.

Link to the book: Catalogue of Sunday School Supplies for Christmas 1897