Kate and Gerry McCann will never give up hope of finding their missing daughter, their family vowed. (DailyMail Wednesday 26th December 2007 )
The couple and their two-year-old twins spent Christmas Day with relatives in North Yorkshire but their thoughts remained with Madeleine.
They took Sean and Amelie to Mass at St Stephen's Church in Skipton where they said special prayers for their little girl.
Writing on his internet diary, Mr McCann said: "Madeleine should not be spending Christmas away from her loving family.This was a desperate attempt to get someone who knows what happened to Madeleine to come forward and end our misery and the dreadful situation for everyone."
On Christmas Eve Mr and Mrs McCann, both 39, made a video broadcast imploring any abductor to return their daughter. It has emerged that the appeal had brought in 347 calls to the McCanns's private detective agency Metodo 3 - lines of inquiry which are now being followed up.
Mr McCann said he and his wife had been sent hundreds of Christmas cards at their home in Rothley, Leicestershire. He said each one had helped renew the family's determination to find Madeleine.
The McCanns wanted to try to give their twins as normal a Christmas as possible. They bought presents for the children but Mr McCann's sister Philomena said none of the adults in the family was exchanging presents because they did not want to celebrate without Madeleine.
Mrs McCann's aunt Janet Kennedy said the entire family would never give up their search for Madeleine. Mrs Kennedy, 68, said: The motto has changed. Rather than not leaving any stone unturned, it is that we never, never give up hope. Eight months on we have become more determined and resolute."