British English Idiom – Like turkeys voting for Christmas or Like turkeys voting for Xmas.
This expression is used to describe a situation when people accept something that will have negative consequences for them in the future. This idiom is frequently used in a political context; when people choose to vote for something that will make life worse.
In the USA people might use Like turkeys voting for Thanksgiving or Like chickens voting for Colonel Sanders.
A turkey is a large bird commonly eaten on Christmas day and at Thanksgiving.
Xmas is a slang expression for Christmas.
Example:
- “The train drivers voting to accept a pay decrease would be like turkeys voting for Christmas!”
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What is an idiom?
An idiom is a word or phrase that is not taken literally. An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its individual words, but has a separate meaning of its own.
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Frequently Asked Questions
It describes a situation where people accept something that will have negative consequences for them in the future — often used about political decisions.
Yes — Americans often say “like turkeys voting for Thanksgiving” or “like chickens voting for Colonel Sanders”.
A turkey is the bird traditionally eaten at Christmas dinner in the UK, so a turkey “voting” for Christmas would be choosing its own downfall.
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