Jan 1st – Family Circus & Calling it

Happy New Year Everyone! 

Many people around the world are tired today because almost everyone stays up late on New Year’s Eve (Dec 31st) to celebrate the New Year at 12 midnight.  Today's comic, Family Circus, highlights this.  

Comic Breakdown

“That’s it, I’m tired.  I’m gonna call it a year.” – Billy speaking to himself

What is going on?

Billy is tired so he has decided to go to bed and sleep. 

Why is he “calling it a year?”

Billy has been up late because it was New Year’s Eve.  There is a popular expression, “calling it a day”.  This means one is declaring the day to be over.  In Billy’s case, because it is the end of one year and the start of the next one he is declaring the year to be over.

What does “calling it” mean?

Call has two meanings.  The most commonly used and understood meaning is to get in contact with someone by saying their name out loud when you see them or to pick up the phone and literally “call” them in order to speak to them.

The second meaning of “call” is figurative and means to declare something.  The word “call” is popularly used in many expressions today when one is declaring a fact or opinion.

Ex) Calling it a day – Stating or deciding it is the end of the day (literally or figuratively)

Ex) Calling it – Declaring the end of something

Ex) Calling the race – Declaring the end of a competition (athletic, political, etc.) when there is no clear winner and one must be chosen

Ex) Calling it off - Declaring something to be cancelled (usually an event or deal) 

Today’s images are from here, here, here, here, here, and here.