From then on, Santa would always wear Coke’s corporate colours, even when promoting other companies’ products.The first model was a retired Coca-Cola salesman, and only on his death some years later did Sundblom use himself as the model for Santa in Coke’s pre-Christmas advertising.Prior to Sundblom, Santa had more often been depicted wearing blue, yellow or green, rather than red. From Mr Richard Halliday

Sir: Jonathan Leckie (Letters, 13 December) does well to remind us that the image we have of Santa Claus as a rotund, jovial character attired in red and white is no more than a creation of the Coca-Cola publicity machinery.
It was the dipsomaniac Swedish artist, Haddon Sundblom, who devised Santa as we know him, as part of a 1931 advertising campaign. It is a task that will need to be intensified if London is indeed to become a new type of city in Europe with the various groupings fully integrated and living together in peace and harmony.Yours faithfully,Sigmund SternbergChairmanInternational Council ofChristians and JewsLondon, NW514 December. It is so refreshing – these days – to read someone who obviously takes religious issues, and indeed the issue of religion, so seriously. Whether Dr Dawkins likes it or not, he is a theologian.
Yours faithfully,John GillibrandBlaenau Ffestiniog. From The Rev John Gillibrand

Sir: I much enjoyed the letter from Dr Richard Dawkins (13 December) questioning the alleged turn to religion of Oxford and Cambridge students.

There is also a religious dimension; it has been said that there must be understanding between the faiths before there can be understanding between the nations.The International Council of Christians and Jews, which operates in 26 countries, including Britain, conducts important educational work as part of the interfaith dialogue. By grim coincidence, the Independent this morning has as its main front-page headline “Riot flares on streets of Brixton”, accompanied by a colour picture with the caption “Night of destruction”.The truth is that there is more xenophobia, racism and intolerance than we care to admit and that we are still a long way away from the unity in diversity which it is so important to create.Herman Ouseley, chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, is right to emphasise the social, cultural and economic aspects. From Sir Sigmund Sternberg

Sir: Nicholas Timmins has written a perceptive analysis (“London: the new melting pot of Europe”, 13 December) of the report on the growing ethnic minorities in the capital produced by the London Research Centre and based on the 1991 census.
He suggests that London has adapted “remarkably well” and goes on to say that “only briefly has there been anything in London that could fairly be called race riots”. All that is required is a bit more tolerance and common sense.Politicians need to get some perspective and stop trying to control our lives down to the level of what time adults should be tucked up quietly in their beds.Yours faithfully,Paul StainesCampaign DirectorFreedom to Party CampaignLondon, SE16. Not to be outdone, new Labour is promising legislation that could lead to seven-year jail sentences for offenders. The Government proposes that after 11pm, noise above 35 decibels will be an offence. If this legislation is passed, this will be the last time we can see the New Year in with a bang without fear of puritanical party police.
Most people have the occasional late loud party on birthdays or New Year’s Eve.

The thrust of the proposed legislation is wrong: sanctions against persistent offenders are one thing, fines and confiscation of music systems are excessive against the occasional party-holder. From Mr Paul Staines

Sir: The Government’s planned legislation against noise nuisance really is over the top (“Noisy neighbours face spot fines”, 13 December). Was this just a freak? In the words of the head of Yorkshire Water, is it a case that “Every 200 years or so there is a year so unpredictably profitable that there is no earthly way of seeing it coming”? Or was there some murkier and not so palatable reason? Were there dark, unearthly forces at work?Why on earth did anyone ever want the Beatles to get together again, now that we know what happens when they do?The answer, according to Great Mysteries of 1995, is “God knows, but we won’t make that mistake again”.. Yet nobody in the Government has even acknowledged the prize, let alone made a fuss of it. Why not? Why is the Government ashamed of seeing the Nobel Peace Prize come to Britain? Are they even now selling nuclear arms to Saddam Hussein? Is Joseph Rotblatt actually from another planet altogether? Or, as seems more likely, is it the Tory government that has alien origins? Great Mysteries of 1995 looks at all the angles.Was this the richest year on record for British water companies?Nobody can remember a year in which profits, bonuses and fees rained so heavily on water companies in Britain It was certainly the richest year since records began. Nobody can remember the last time this hugely prestigious award came to Britain. Angus Deayton does look a bit of a dish, but so would you if you sat between Ian Hislop and Paul Merton every week.