For 69 people who live in Waterloo region and the surrounding areas, this holiday season will mark a first. It'll be the first time they'll celebrate as Canadian citizens.

The group from more than 20 different countries gathered at two citizenship ceremonies in Kitchener Tuesday, the final ones for 2019 in this region.

Public citizenship ceremonies are held in Kitchener several times a year. There are about 17-hundred citizenship ceremonies across Canada annually.

Eight-year-old Mia Massey pledges the citizenship oath in solidarity with her mother Karen, who received her citizenship Tuesday. Friends and family are told they can reaffirm their own citizenship by raising their hand and saying the oath. (Julianne Hazlewood/CBC)

"At first the weather, the climate, everything was new for me. But now, I realize I'm like a Canadian," said Arabon Mengesteab, who came to Canada from Eritrea four years ago. (Julianne Hazlewood/CBC)

After pledging their oath, every new Canadian gets a little flag and watches a video from the Prime Minister congratulating them on the big day. (Julianne Hazlewood/CBC)

The children in the Alahmad family received their citizenship Tuesday. Ielham, who's 12 years old and is holding her baby sister, says the transition from Syria to Kitchener has been easier because of her siblings. "We stand up to each other," she said. (Julianne Hazlewood/CBC)

Rahima Khtuen received her Canadian citizenship last year, so on Tuesday she came to watch her brother Mohammed Faisal get his citizenship. "I can't explain how much it makes me happy to see," she said. (Julianne Hazlewood/CBC)