On Christmas Eve a long line of children trailed out of the courthouse doors. Other children were assembled around the metal railing of the second floor, prepared to sing carols.
The Commercial Club men, as a tradition, distributed candy to all the children appeared on this date when Santa Claus visited. T S Bunn was Santa Claus and while the children above sang Christmas carols, the poor children of Bloomington waited patiently for the candy they knew they would receive. Observers noted the shabby and inadequate clothing of the children and the grateful manners of the children who did not expect or demand more than they were given.
Around a thousand boxes of candy were distributed, but a thousand were left behind. A foot of snow had fallen on the city that day, snarling the traffic, delaying cars, trains and trolleys. The Commercial Club would distribute the remaining boxes at the Day Nursery, the Industrial Home and the Geltmacher dinner. So even those children who was unable to or not allowed to go out in the snow, would have they chance to enjoy a bit of Christmas candy.
The prevalence of charitable giving and ministrations to the poor was of course one way that people could meet their Christian obligations. At this time in history, giving to the poor was seen as a Christian duty and the examples of many wealthy men such as Carnegie set an example of the appropriate methods of giving. Gifts to the poor should be useful rather than frivolous and the recipients should be "deserving." Giving money or time, such as the men of the Commercial Club gave or the child singers gave, was noble and admirable. They had the luxury of leisure and wealth to make the gestures that empahsised their status in the community. The poor had to be willing to display themselves and accept the munificence of the wealthier citizens in a proper spirit. But at Christmas these restrictions were relaxed. Candy was distributed to any child who was willing to stand in line, an object of pity.