BABY EVA MAREE’S FIRST CHRISTMAS A MAGICAL ONE
BABY Eva Maree Turvoll’s first Christmas service will be just one of many if tradition is anything to go by.
Proud parents Anna and Ole from Sydney brought the one-monthold to morning mass at the Stella Maris Church in Mermaid Waters yesterday – and say they will be back again soon.
“This is Eva’s first Christmas service, and she’s getting baptised here too in a month,” Ms Turvoll said. “She was very well behaved.”
The family of four, including older sister Liesel, 2, go to Christmas and Easter services every year. They then head to the beach to cool off as part of their modern family tradition.
The Sydneysiders said they came up every year to the Gold Coast to be with family.
“Christmas is about family, it’s about reflection,” Ms Turvoll said.
“I think about the year that’s just been and the year that’s ahead.
“And tradition. We hope that they carry this tradition on.”
Hymns and prayers could be heard from the open church at the 8.30am service as the sun beat down.
Father Paul Kelly said there had been a great turn out this year, including the 5am service where more than 1100 people attended.
“I wonder if it’s that the world’s so unsettled ... and people are wanting to pray for peace,” he said.
Father Kelly said people were also looking to re-establish their Christian values.
At St Peter’s Anglican Church in Southport, more than 100 people came to the 9.30am service.
Mother of two Elizabeth Lang said she was a regular church goer and always took her two children, Ava, 7, and Savannah, 4 to the services.
”Christmas is about love, God loved the world so much he gave his only son,” she said.
“For us, Christmas is all about church. It was a great service, like usual.”