When do we know it’s Christmas? Is it the turning on of the lights in the town centre? The sight of baubles and tinsel in shop windows? Or maybe it’s that moment you realise every ad on TV is selling festive cheer? But is there anything that says Christmas more than oversized Orange Order greeting cards?

This year’s Orange Order Christmas card (it’s an annual production at this stage) parodies the conflict surrounding parades in Northern Ireland (that theme looks like it's a bit of a constant).

The cards depict a group of penguins halted at Twaddell Avenue, the site of a protest camp that was set up following the Parade Commission decision to refuse to allow an Orange Order march pass the stretch of the Crumlin Road that separates the nationalist and unionist areas.

Last year’s Orange Order cards featured penguins protesting at the North Pole Town Hall, complete with Union and Ulster flags.

The penguins' banners read: “Snow Surrender”.

The 2013 Orange Order Christmas cards Image credit: Orange Order

Grand Lodge director of services Dr David Hume, told the Belfast Telegraph that the cards offer a "humorous aspect to something which is very significant to the Orange Institution."

"Last year the protest penguins were a major success, with cards featuring them sold out. The protest penguins, you might say, have become something of an institution in their own right and they clearly have a big following within the Orange Institution,” he said.

“This year we wanted to remind people that the lodges from Ligoniel are still being prevented from walking home and we expect that these cards will be dropping through many doors both at home and abroad.

Dr. Hume made the point that the cards are not just aimed at members of the Orange Order and their families.

“One thing which Northern Ireland people share is a sense of humour and we know that these cards are bought not only by Orangemen and their families,” he said.

“It would be good if we could translate some seasonal goodwill to allowing recognition of the Orange tradition through accepting the parade back to Ligoniel. After all it would only take a few minutes of tolerance.” 

#sluggerphotooftheday Orange Order Christmas Cards. The parading penguins are kinda funny... pic.twitter.com/Lu1AqNDRRD

— Slugger O'Toole (@SluggerOToole) November 14, 2014