Button, Button, Who's Got The Button

Does anyone know where the phrase "Button, button, who's got the button" started from? I remember playing the game in kindergarten in the 60's. On a rainy day when we could not go outside to play, so we would form a large circle with our hands out and palms together.

One kid was picked as the leader and would walk around to all the hands and secretly drop the button in your palm. The trick was to guess who had the button. Once the button owner was guessed, you would get up and start the game again. I think the teacher just had us play that game to keep us out of her hair. Of course everyone wanted to play and be leader of delivering that secret button. 

Welcome to my new journey of vintage button creations, button history and DIY button projects. I started collecting buttons two years ago. I get them from friends, auctions, antique stores and free, from perfect strangers with incredible stories about their family buttons. I found I had a passion for 
re-purposing "Old" buttons, just ask my husband, I have thousands and thousands of them. The dirtier the better and after I clean them they are beautiful. Each has it's own personality and I wonder "Where did they come from?". "What clothing were they on?." and "How old are they?". 
I love them all.