Like turkeys voting for Christmas

Definitions

• to express a situation where someone does something that is clearly not in their best interest
  to highlight the foolishness of a decision or action, particularly when it is harmful to the person making it

Examples of Like turkeys voting for Christmas

• The employees of a poultry processing plant voted to close their factory on Christmas morning, effectively treating themselves like turkeys voting for Christmas by sabotaging their own jobs.

  This idiom is used to describe a group of people making a decision that is completely against their own self-interest, much like turkeys voting for Christmas because they would be eaten during the holiday. In this scenario, the workers are essentially voting to put themselves out of work by closing the factory on Christmas, which is the busiest time of year for a poultry processing plant. It's an ironic and humorous way to highlight the absurdity of such a decision.

• The voters in a small rural town eagerly supported a motion to cut down all the trees in the area during the middle of winter. It was akin to turkeys voting for Christmas - a decision that was detrimental to their own interests.

  The idiom "like turkeys voting for Christmas" is used to describe a situation where a group of people make an irrational decision that will ultimately harm them. In this case, the voters chose to cut down trees during winter, which is a time when there is minimal demand for lumber, and often harsh weather conditions that can damage the trees further. This decision is likened to turkeys voting for Christmas because turkeys are traditionally consumed during the festivities, making it illogical for them to vote for their own slaughter.

Conclusion

The idiom "like turkeys voting for Christmas" is often used to emphasize the foolishness of a decision or action that is clearly not in one's best interest. It serves as a colorful way to express the idea that someone is acting against their own well-being, similar to a turkey voting for Christmas, which would ultimately lead to its demise.

This idiom is typically used in situations where someone is making a choice that will have negative consequences for them, but they are unaware or unwilling to acknowledge it. By comparing the situation to turkeys voting for Christmas, the idiom effectively conveys the sense of absurdity and self-destructive nature of the decision being made.

Origin of "Like turkeys voting for Christmas"

The origin of the idiom "like turkeys voting for Christmas" can be traced back to the idea of turkeys unknowingly choosing something that will lead to their own harm. The concept of turkeys voting for Christmas plays on the traditional association of turkeys with the holiday season, particularly Christmas, when they are often consumed as a festive meal.

The idiom likely originated as a way to humorously illustrate the idea of making a decision that goes against one's best interests, using the image of turkeys naively voting for their own demise. By comparing the foolishness of a decision to the unlikely scenario of turkeys voting for Christmas, the idiom effectively conveys the sense of self-destructive behavior and the lack of foresight in the decision-making process. Examples of this idiom can be found in literature, speeches, and everyday conversations, where it is used to highlight the irrationality of certain actions or choices.