A smiling camper peeks from behind a tree next to a bear, a pitched tent, a cloud, and a smiling sun all on a blue sky. Yellow "GO CAMPING" is nestled in the green boughs of the tree while the remainder of the black text sits below in the grass.

Hallmark began in 1910 when Joyce Clyde Hall started selling postcards. He had little money—not even enough to take a horse-drawn cab to his lodgings at the YMCA—but he had an entrepreneurial spirit and the determination of a pioneer. Hall quickly made a name for himself with the picture postcards he sold. Rollie Hall joined his brother in business, and the company was named Hall Brothers. On January 11, 1915, a fire destroyed their office and inventory. They took the only salvageable item, their safe, and set up shop again. With $17,000 in debt, they decided to press onward. As postcard sales declined, they recognized the public’s desire for more privacy in their communication, so they started offering high-quality Valentine’s Day and Christmas cards mailed in envelopes. The fateful fire resulted in the Hall brothers’ decision to buy printing presses and begin producing their own greeting cards in 1915. Hallmark eventually made the move to manufacture and sell collectable memorabilia including pin-back buttons, most of which revolve around holidays and other special events.

Large yellow text with smaller blue text above and below it. A blue stripe travels through the yellow text and everything is set against a dark blue background. 

This is a button from a Walmart greeter, the person who greets customers who come into their store, collection. The button is from 1998 and shows that Walmart at that time was reaching out to it's employees to make them like stakeholders. In this case, the Merriam Webster definition, "one who is involved in or affected by a course of action" is probably most appropriate.

An illustration of a man riding on a horse with white text above and below him. Everything is set on a red background. 

This button is likely for the Spanish Riding School located in Vienna. It has a rich history in Austria having been around for over 430 years making it the oldest riding academy in the world. 

A photograph of a polar bear with a red tint over it.  Below the polar bear is red text inisde a white box/square. 

"Season's Greetings" is a greeting that is commonly used before or during Christmas time or the holiday season. The greeting is usually used between November and New Years. Though the greeting is most commonly found on holiday greeting cards, it is also spoken. During the 19th century, the phrase was originally "With the Season's Greetings." But it was later shortened to "Season's Greetings," in the 1920s. It is also common to see winter animals paired up with the phrase, such as polar bears. Certain colors can be associated with the holiday season, such as the red and white colors on the button. 

White text on purple background. 

The Purple Martin is the largest North American swallow and is one of the most celebrated and exciting species among birders. Male martins have a purple and black coloring while females have a gray, black, and purple coloring. Their habit is expansive and since they return to the same locations each year, their return (Martin Time) is often anxiously awaited.

White text on a yellow background. 

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White text on a green background. 

Girl Scout Cookies are sold by Girl Scouts of the USA as one of its major fundraisers for local Scout units. The first cookie sales by an individual Scout unit was by the Mistletoe Troop in Oklahoma in 1917. From 1933 to 1935 country wide, organized cookie sales grew with Troops in Philadelphia and New York City. In 1933, Girl Scouts in Philadelphia organized the first official sale, selling homemade cookies at the windows of local utility companies. In 1936 the national organization began licensing commercial bakers to produce cookies to increase availability and reduce lag time. 125 troops launched cookie sales that year.

Green text on a yellow background

A "Circus Daddy" or "Circus Dad" is somebody who sponsors disadvantaged or handicapped children's fees in order that they could attend a Shriners Circus. Shriner Circuses exist throughout the United States and the proceeds from these events benefit Shriner's Children's Hospitals. The way the Circus Daddy program works is that an individual buys a ticket booklet and then donates the tickets to a Shriners business office. The office then provides free admission for a select number of children in order that they could attend a specific Shriners Circus.

Black text on a white background.

Black Expo is a fair that exhibits the achievements of black culture, business and industry to the public. It was originally engineered and sponsered by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in the 1960s. Many cities have hosted Black Expo events. 

This button is likely a promotional button for the 1971 Black Expo in Chicago. Larry Shaw, the communication director for SCLC/PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) who advertised and marketed Black Expos in Chicago, was also in charge of the public relations for the movie and sound track of Shaft, the 1971 movie about the suave black private detective John Shaft. "BLACK EXPO IS A BAAAAD MOTHER (SHUT YO' MOUTH)" references the famous tagline in the Grammy/Oscar winning theme song of the movie: "Shaft is a bad mother (Shut your mouth)."

An illustration of three boys dressed in revolutionary war uniforms. One boy is playing drums, one boy is holding a flag, and one boy is playing a flute. Everything is set on a white background. 

This button is a bicentennial button for the American Revolutionary War and the declaration of independence in July 1776. After the revolution, came the phrase "Spirit of '76," which is a patriotic sentiment. The phrase was also used as the title for Archibald MacNeal Willard's painting, The Spirit of '76, circa 1875. The image and phrase on the button are references to the painting.