PhrasesHub

Turkeys voting for Christmas

    Definitions

      • discourage someone
        Advise against engaging in a particular activity or task, cautioning that it will not result in any positive outcome or benefit

      • self-destructive behavior
        Describing a situation where someone is acting in a way that is clearly not in their best interest

    Examples of Turkeys voting for Christmas

    • The company's decision to downsize its workforce in the middle of a recession was like turkeys voting for Christmas.

      This idiom is used to describe a situation where people make decisions that are clearly against their own self-interest. The idea behind this idiom comes from the that fact that turkeys, who are thankful to be spared from slaughter on Thanksgiving, would be foolish to vote for Christmas as a day to be thankful for, as Christmas is not typically a day for turkey consumption. This example shows that the company's decision to downsize during a recession is short-sighted and will ultimately harm the company and its employees, much like the foolishness of turkeys voting for Christmas.

    • The student's decision to skip studying for the exam and go to a party instead was like turkeys voting for Christmas.

      This idiom is used to describe a situation where people make decisions that are clearly against their own self-interest. The idea behind this idiom comes from the that fact that turkeys, who are thankful to be spared from slaughter on Thanksgiving, would be foolish to vote for Christmas as a day to be thankful for, as Christmas is not typically a day for turkey consumption. This example shows that the student's decision to skip studying and attend a party instead is short-sighted and will ultimately harm their academic performance, much like the foolishness of turkeys voting for Christmas.

    • The politician's decision to take a stand against their own party's platform was like turkeys voting for Christmas.

      This idiom is used to describe a situation where people make decisions that are clearly against their own self-interest. The idea behind this idiom comes from the that fact that turkeys, who are thankful to be spared from slaughter on Thanksgiving, would be foolish to vote for Christmas as a day to be thankful for, as Christmas is not typically a day for turkey consumption. This example shows that the politician's decision to take a stand against their own party's platform is short-sighted and will ultimately harm their political career, much like the foolishness of turkeys voting for Christmas.

    • The businessman's decision to invest in a failing company was like turkeys voting for Christmas.

      This idiom is used to describe a situation where people make decisions that are clearly against their own self-interest. The idea behind this idiom comes from the that fact that turkeys, who are thankful to be spared from slaughter on Thanksgiving, would be foolish to vote for Christmas as a day to be thankful for, as Christmas is not typically a day for turkey consumption. This example shows that the businessman's decision to invest in a failing company is short-sighted and will ultimately harm their financial future, much like the foolishness of turkeys voting for Christmas.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "Turkeys voting for Christmas" is used to discourage someone from engaging in a particular activity or task, cautioning that it will not result in any positive outcome or benefit. It is also used to describe self-destructive behavior, where someone is acting in a way that is clearly not in their best interest.

    Origin of "Turkeys voting for Christmas"

    The origin of the idiom "Turkeys voting for Christmas" dates back to the 20th century in the United Kingdom. The phrase is rooted in the idea that turkeys, being the traditional meal for Christmas, would not vote for something that would result in their demise. This metaphorical expression is often used in political contexts to describe a situation where a group of people are making a decision that will ultimately lead to their detriment. The idiom has since become a popular way to convey the notion of acting against one's own self-interest or making a decision that will ultimately result in negative consequences.

    An example of the usage of this idiom could be: "Voting for that policy would be like turkeys voting for Christmas - it will only lead to disaster."