[Family affair: Leong (second from right with eye-patch) helping his family to decorate a Christmas tree.]

by Oh Ing Yeen

Christmas is an occasion that Christian families look forward to celebrate with their loved ones every year. Some celebrate with gues ts over for a meal while others prefer to just be with their families. Star Metro visited three families in the Klang Valley to see what Christmas means to them and how they prepare for the big day.

FOR Clifford Leong, celebrating Christmas will be different this year as it signifies a new lease on life.

Besides celebrating Christmas as a Christian for the first time, this Christmas is also a celebration of a new beginning for Leong following a car crash.

In February 2007, he crashed into a tree while negotiating a curve and was in a coma for two weeks.

"This Christmas is meaningful," said the 35-year-old architectural assistant.

The accident damaged his speech and optical nerves as well as the motor skills on the right part of his body. He now suffers from Diplopia whereby he has double vision and has to wear an eye-patch to prevent getting headaches as he works in front of the computer all day long.

"A friend took pictures of my wrecked car and while looking at them I realised why Jesus is called a saviour. The front part of my car was a total wreck and I survived such a terrible car crash.

"I was touched when my mother's friends from church, who were total strangers to me then, prayed for my recovery when I was in hospital.

"I was discharged after over two months and started going to church in June. My parents and I were baptised in January this year.

"The doctors said I could only start walking in six months time and recover fully in two to three years.

"I prayed hard to Lord Jesus. I felt that it was a miracle when I could hobble after about seven weeks.

"When I went back for my periodic check-up nine months after I was discharged, my doctors were surprised to find that I have recovered 80-85 per cent."

He feels that he has been blessed all his life as he pulled through when he had dengue when he was just 10 months old.

"I was too young to use the drip so the doctor had to perform an operation.

"But I was given only a 30 per cent chance to live. I believe that Jesus helped me then.

He is now working at a architectural firm and due to his busy working schedule, he did not have time to prepare for Christmas.

"But my parents have taken care of everything.

"Instead of getting drunk on Christmas like in previous years, I will be spending the special day with family and friends at home," he said.