Parents Lois and Juris Greste visited their son in prison on Christmas day, however they were not able to give presents because of strict gift rules.
"It was a sombre occasion. Peter is getting fairly anxious in the lead up to January 1," Mike Greste said. "It has been a trying Christmas and certainly a lonely one."
He said they understand the appeal, which will be conducted in a closed court, could result in four outcomes.
The best outcome would be for all charges to be dropped, but the hearing could also result in his seven-year sentence being reduced, a retrial or the appeal being dismissed.
Andrew Greste said his brother was distracting himself from the thought of losing the appeal by doing an International Relations degree through Griffith University.
He said Peter had been handwriting his assignments which were screened by prison authorities before being sent to the university. So far, he said his brother has been receiving good marks.
He said the family was happy with the Australian government's involvement, in particular Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
While Ms Bishop has been told by her Egyptian counterpart there'd be no pardon or clemency before the appeal, she said she had hoped for some progress on the 12-month anniversary.
Lois and Juris Greste are hopeful their son will soon taste freedom.
In a written statement read out by their sons, they said the past 12 months have been a rollercoaster ride.
"When we were first advised of his arrest this time last year we were spending time on our hobby farm in the Lockyer Valley oblivious to the turmoil that lay ahead," the statement said.
"Never did we expect that we'd be spending the next 12 months campaigning for Peter's release."
They said they were naive because they thought it would be a short and quick trial resulting in their son's release because he was innocent and there was no evidence linking him to the charges against him.
"We are just a small cog in a massive fight for justice."
