Green and red text in the middle of an illustration of a wreath with green leaves and red berries on a white background

This holiday-themed button was most likely a promotional souvenir for the Chicago-based sporting goods store, Morrie Mages Sports. Alongside new and popular sporting goods, the store sold a combination of low-cost irregular sports equipment as well as "soon to be discontinued" merchandise. Apparently quite the character, Mages was known as "Chicago's Mr. Sporting Goods" and began his career at a young age hawking sports equipment alongside his father on Chicago's historical Maxwell Street in the 1930s. In 1968, he opened the first Morrie Mages Sports on Chicago Street, which eventually moved to LaSalle Street to become the flagship store after opening three additional stores in the suburbs of Arlington Heights and Woodridge. The year before his death in 1988, Mages sold his four stores to the larger Grand Rapids-based sporting goods chain, MC Sports. The following link is a holiday commericial for Morrie Mages Sports which ran locally in Chicago in 1986: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrE2EgDh4_I 

Red illustration of a heart on a pink background with white block letter text on top

Valentine's Day, also known as Saint Valentine's Day, while not an official public or religious holiday in any country, is recognized and celebrated annually on February 14th. Although the day is named for a Saint Valentine, the Catholic Church recognizes three Valentines who were martyred and it is unclear for which the day is named. One legend states that Valentine was a priest in third century Rome, who performed secret wedding ceremonies for young soldiers who were forbidden to marry. Other stories tell of a Valentine who was killed for helping Christian prisoners escape from being tortured. The day became associated with romantic love in the Middle Ages when the tradition of courtly love flourished. Today, Valentine's Day is recognized throughout the North and Latin America, Asia, and Europe, and is typically celebrated by giving chocolate, flowers, or cards bearing hearts on them to romantic partners. 

Green text outlined in black on a white background

The phrase “happy holidays” is a festive greeting typically used during the winter season. It has been a part of the United States vernacular from as early as the mid-1800s. The phrase was initially used in advertisements and was later embraced as a catch-all phrase for all winter holidays as a way to respect different religious faiths. Controversy has surrounded the phrase starting in the early 21st century as the conservative news outlets led some American Christian conservatives to believe that “happy holidays” was employed by a liberal campaign to censor Christianity and the Christmas holiday. Another way to say “happy holidays” is “season’s greetings.”

Red text on a white background

Saint Valentine's Day, also known as Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is a holiday observed on February 14 each year. It is celebrated in many countries around the world, although it is not an official holiday in most of them. The day was first associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. In eighteenth-century England, it evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending hand-written cards.

Illustration of Westminster Abbey with black text with an outer bright orange/red outline on a white background

Westminster Abbey, formally known as the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, Westminster, was founded in 960AD in London, England. Although it still serves as a functioning church and holds worship services and events, it also houses tombs of passed kings and queens and memorials for notable British individuals. The abbey has been the setting for every royal Coronation since 1066 and has served as the venue for numerous royal weddings. Westminster Abbey is considered a Royal Peculiar, as it does not fall under the jurisdiction of any archbishop or bishop, but of the monarch directly. 

Black and white illustration of Obama made to look like the Mad Men television show logo with red and white text on a white background

Barack Obama was very successful in integrating his campaign with elements of pop culture. From his use of Snapchat in the White House to his video appearance with Buzzfeed, Obama regularly took advantage of non-traditional media to garner support and spread his message. This button takes advantage of the iconic opening intro of AMC’s television show Mad Men to appeal to voters familiar with the show, to support Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.  

Buzzfeed Video:https://youtu.be/Kn7Z7bvLhng

Snapchat: ​https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/01/barack-obama-snapchat-cleveland-hillary-clinton-rally

Blue text and a union bug on a white background

By 1972, President Richard M. Nixon was intensely disliked by many Americans. His failure to end the Vietnam War, despite earlier promises to do so, and his call for a War on Drugs made him unpopular among a broad segment of voters. Anti-Nixon ephemera abounded during his bid for reelection, which included buttons that read “Happiness is a New President,” “Dump Nixon,” and “Nixon, Gone with the Wind”. Though many were disappointed with Nixon’s performance as president, his Democratic opponent George McGovern was firmly defeated in the 1972 election. Nixon went on to serve another term until the Watergate scandal eroded the remainder of his political support. He resigned in August, 1974.

Black text on a yellow background

During the 1964 Presidential election, Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater ran under the Republican banner to unseat President Lyndon B. Johnson. Goldwater was infamous for his war hawk stance and regularly called for a more aggressive U.S. foreign policy. A popular talking point in the election for his opponents was to use this to paint him as a war monger in the pockets of the military-industrial complex. “Bury Barry” channels similar rhetoric to succinctly persuade people to vote against Goldwater. 

Color illustration of the Disney character Happy in a yellow hat, red shirt and brown pants with a white beard and red nose.

This was part of a collection of 8 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs buttons sold in theaters to promote the 1975 re-release of the movie in the United States. Happy was one of the seven dwarfs that help and take care of Snow White throughout the movie. He is also the only dwarf in the movie that Snow White doesn't refer to by name. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is an American animated musical that was produced by Walt Disney Productions in 1937.  

Illustration of Snoopy on his doghouse on a red background with an outer white ring with blue text then a n outer blue ring

The much-loved Peanuts character, Snoopy, was often depicted as a World War I pilot stationed atop his iconic dog house and attempting to outwit his imaginary arch-nemesis, the Red Baron. The first of Snoopy's skirmishes with the invisible enemy-pilot appeared in Charles Schulz's famous comic strip in October of 1965. Many more "battles" ensued in the years that followed, both throughout the comic strip and the cartoon specials. The Red Baron's initial popularity of the 1960s coincides with large scale advertising of Snoopy on cards, figurines, NASA gear, and buttons.

Snoopy's wiles with the Red Baron also inspired the famous novelty song, "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron," which was recorded in 1966 by The Royal Guardsmen. The tune reached the top of the charts upon its release, but caused trouble for the band as they never asked Schulz's permission to use Snoopy's name. Schulz successfully sued, but later gave the group his permission to utilize the beloved character's name when recording follow-up songs such as "Return of the Red Baron." Schulz admittedly grew weary of depicting war as "comical" and eventually made the decision to place Snoopy in other types of situations throughout the cartoon which dealt more in matters of "love and loneliness."