Halloween Stapag (gathering of friends for eating or drinking

This Highland tradition is described by M M Banks in British Calendar Customs, Scotland Vol III (1941): ‘Good thick cream was put in a basin and well beaten up. While the cream was being stirred round and round, oatmeal was gradually added till the whole got as thick as porridge. Then all the members of the household gathered round, each armed with spoon and partook of the stapag. On Halloween, stapag was always made, and, as milk would be beginning to get scarce then a considerable amount of saving up used to be gone thro’ in connection with the cream. Into this stapag a ring, a thimble and a button along with some silver coins used to be added. Each had to dip his or her spoon to the very bottom of the dish but no scraping was allowed. People did not always keep their Sunday manners about them on Halloween, and tho’ only one spoon was supposed to be in the dish at one time, yet by some means a dozen or so might be seen scraping about.’