Kay Harker and Cole Hawlings Picture accessed via BBC There are few things more Christmassy than the opening few bars of the theme tune to The Box of Delights . In fact, the tune is based on Victor Hely-Hutchinson's Carol Symphony and had been used in radio adaptations of the same novel years earlier than the 1984 television series. Clearly, everyone already knew that you just couldn't improve on that sound to evoke the magic of Christmas which - for me and for many - is so wonderfully explored in John Masefield's story. As a viewer, one of the things I enjoy most about the television series of The Box of Delights is the acting. Child actors are precarious things: too sweet and they're almost unbearable to watch, not sweet enough and they're unbelievable. They must walk that fine line between the two, and it is a perilous one! Most young actors fall into the first category, where their on-screen presence is almost dangerously saccharine. Not so the child actors ...
Well, it is Christmas Eve, the stars are brightly shining and the food is nearly prepared and waiting for tomorrow's feast. So, as a Christmas present for all our readers, we would like to share a delicious Crowvus cocktail with you all. This is called a Caledon . It is based on the book of the same name by Virginia Crow. You can find the book here . The components of the cocktail are very Scottish, just like the book itself! You will need: 1. Drambuie 2. Irn Bru 3. Apple and Raspberry J2O Here's a quick step-by-step guide to making your very own Caledon: 1. Pour a shot of Drambuie into a standard-size tumbler. 2. Add some Irn Bru. The glass want to be just over half-full at this point. (Or just less than half-empty, if you're a pessimist!) 3. Fill the rest of the glass with Apple & Raspberry J2O. 4. Now, give it a good stir to mix up all the delicious ingredients and then settle down with a good book (Caledon, obviously!) and enjoy! Please note: this Crowvus...