Mhelliah
Encyclopedia
Mhelliah fairs are held traditionally at the end of summer or harvest
Harvest
Harvest is the process of gathering mature crops from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper...

 time at which all produce grown/made is sold to the highest bidder in auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...

 fashion. Dating back over a century, a mhelliah is thought to have originated in Celtic countries and is still a popular social occasion on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...

 where they are held traditionally in the September/October of each year.

The format, besides that of an auction of produce is sometimes accompanied by the singing of harvest festival
Harvest festival
A Harvest Festival is an annual celebration which occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times throughout the world...

 hymns such as Come, Ye Thankful People, Come and We Plough the Fields and Scatter
We Plough the Fields and Scatter
We Plough the Fields and Scatter is an English hymn commonly associated with harvest festival. The hymn was originally German, by poet Matthias Claudius, 'Wir pflü­gen und wir streu­en' published in 1782, and set to music in 1800, and attributed to Jo­hann A. P. Schulz. It was translated into...

. These events are usually held in aid of charities but were originally a social gathering to celebrate the harvest and thank the Pagan Gods for a fruitful year.
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