At the White House, we’re always looking for new ways to engage with citizens online – and 2013 was no exception. As 2013 comes to an end, it's time to look back at some of our favorite online moments of the past year.

This year, President Obama answered your questions about housing on Zillow.com, and connected directly with Americans from around the country during a Fireside Hangout on Google+ after his State of the Union Address. In her first ever Twitter Q&A, the First Lady answered questions about Let's Move! and healthy living in 140 characters.

In 2013, the White House joined Tumblr, Instagram and started sharing six-second videos on Vine. It’s also been a big year on Twitter – with new official accounts for the First Lady, Dr. Biden and many more White House officials to engage on issues including the economy, foreign policy and immigration reform. We continued to open the doors of the White House by inviting folks from all over to join our first-ever White House hackathon and Instagram meet up. 

Take a look at some of our favorite online moments below or over on Storify. And stay tuned for opportunities to engage with President Obama and the White House in the New Year by following us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram and Tumblr.

In September 2009, the President announced that—for the first time in history—White House visitor records would be made available to the public on an ongoing basis. Today, the White House releases visitor records that were generated in September 2013. Today’s release also includes visitor records generated prior to September 16, 2009 that were requested by members of the public in November 2013 pursuant to the White House voluntary disclosure policy.This release brings the total number of records made public by this White House to over 3.42 million—all of which can be viewed in our Disclosures section.

As 2013 draws to a close, we've compiled a timeline of some of the top @WhiteHouse tweets from the past year.

This year, @WhiteHouse added nearly 1 million new followers and surpassed 4.4 million overall, while continuing to be an important tool for the White House to engage with citizens and provide updates from President Obama and his Administration.

Take a look at some of the top tweets below, and be sure to follow @WhiteHouse on Twitter for news and updates in the New Year. Don't forget to check back for more Year in Review roundups throughout the week.

Anxiously wondering when Santa and his sleigh full of toys might arrive in their neighborhood, children from around the country phoned NORAD today for Christmas Eve updates on his whereabouts. 

A few kids got a special holiday treat on the other end of the line: First Lady Michelle Obama, who was helping out with  NORAD's annual Santa tracking program.

First Lady Michelle Obama reacts while talking on the phone to children across the country as part of the annual NORAD Tracks Santa program. Mrs. Obama answered the phone calls from Kailua, Hawaii, Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

To join in the fun, follow Santa at www.noradsanta.org or by calling 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723). NORAD’s “Santa Cams” will also stream videos as Santa makes his way over various locations around the world. You can follow NORAD Tracks Santa on Facebook and Twitter. 

This week, we will be celebrating the season by taking you behind the scenes as the White House is transformed into a Yuletide masterpiece with the help of volunteers from across the country. We will also stop into a news conference the president held before he departed for the Hawaiian island of Oahu to have a "Mele Kalikimaka" with family and friends. That's December 20th to Christmas Eve, or "The Holiday Card Edition."

Reinforcing President Obama’s strong message encouraging South Sudan’s leaders to choose peace, today National Security Advisor Susan Rice recorded an audio message for the people of South Sudan.  In it she reinforces the importance that South Sudan not allow the new country it fought so hard for to be torn apart by violence and suffering.  She again calls on Sudan’s leaders to renounce violence, end the fighting, and commit to peaceful dialogue, and reiterates the United States’ support for a peaceful, democratic, unified South Sudan.

Listen to the message below, or download as an mp3.

Hello.  This is Susan Rice, National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama.  Today, I want to speak directly to you—the people of South Sudan. 

For the better part of 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside you as you sought your independence and built a new nation.  When the war was at its height, I visited with people across your country—in Marial Bai and Rumbek and Lui.  You told me about how the conflict was affecting your lives and your families.  And, when I was the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, I was honored to share your stories with the world and to support your struggle for independence.

Then, two years ago, on July 9^th, 2011, I was so proud to speak to you on behalf of President Obama and the American people when finally you celebrated your hard-won independence.  I remember so clearly the overwhelming joy and the spirit of unity that day—how you came together as one people to begin building a new nation, founded on your shared democratic values.   

But the violence we’re seeing now is a grave threat to your young nation.  Continued fighting—and the specter of ethnic violence—could tear apart the nation you so painstakingly knit together.  We know all too well what horrors can occur when irresponsible provocateurs pit tribe against tribe and brother against brother. 

We’ve seen the devastation in Bosnia, Rwanda and so close to home in Darfur.  As a longstanding friend of the people of South Sudan, I urge everyone to step back from conflict and instead address your differences through peaceful dialogue.   

In recent years, you’ve overcome incredible odds and shown the world that you can break the cycle of violence; that through careful and constant work, you can give birth to a new nation that respects the rights of all its peoples.  That’s what you, the South Sudanese people, died for and then so peacefully voted for:  an independent, peaceful and unified nation with a better future.  And that’s the promise that young people and religious leaders and community elders across South Sudan are calling for their leaders to live up to now. 

The United States joins these calls for peace.  We urge leaders on all sides to publicly renounce violence, end the fighting, and commit to peaceful dialogue.  Ethnic violence must cease immediately.  Those who have committed acts of violence against civilians must be held accountable.  And those who seek to achieve their goals at the barrel of a gun must understand that international legitimacy and support cannot be gained through conflict. 

For all those who choose the path of peace and democracy, know that the United States will continue to stand with you, as we have at every step of your journey.  But, I must also be clear:  if a different choice is made, if individuals or groups seek to take or hold power through force, mass violence, or intimidation, the United States will have no choice but to withdraw our traditional, robust support.  Killing will only lead to deprivation and isolation for the people of South Sudan.    

I know how much you have already endured and how far you have come, but please remember: democracy is always hard work.  Reconciliation always takes time.  You have to keep working at it each and every day through dialogue and compromise.  And the choices you make today will determine the future of your country.  You can choose whether your children will live in a nation of peace and growing prosperity or one scarred by resumed conflict.  As someone who has always stood with you to imagine a better future for you and your families, I ask each of you to make the choice for peace—make the choice for a unified and cohesive South Sudan.  Make this choice for yourselves and your children.  Thank you.

1.3 million Americans are about to lose a vital lifeline of unemployment insurance benefits if Congress doesn't act. This is money that helps pay the bills while folks work hard to find their next job.

And it gets worse: If we don't do anything in 2014, an additional 3.6 million Americans will lose their benefits.

That's why Jason Furman, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, sat down for an On The Clock video to explain why this issue is so important -- in under sixty seconds:

After you watch the video, share what this means to you.

First Lady Michelle Obama collects toys from military children during a Toys for Tots event at the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling Distribution Center in Washington, D.C., Dec. 19, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

This afternoon, First Lady Michelle Obama visited Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C. to deliver hundreds of toys that Executive Office of the President staff donated to the United States Marine Corps' Toys for Tots campaign, an annual holiday toy drive. After delivering the toys, she thanked volunteers for their hard work and dedication this holiday season:

I want to thank all of you and all of the volunteers and donors for Toys for Tots running year after year. One thing I always say is that I don’t know if people realize everything it takes to make this happen -- the thousands of hours that go into making this drive possible.

Mrs. Obama also thanked military families for all they do throughout the year, while still finding time to run programs like Toys for Tots.  

Most people don’t understand that you do all of this service on top of all of the challenges that you face as servicemembers and as military families. And that’s the example that I think the rest of the country needs to see -- that even in the midst of your challenges, you find a way to give back to those less fortunate. 

And that’s what makes me proud. That’s what makes me want to step up and do whatever I can to support this effort and to support you all as men and women, and as young men and women -- young heroes, our military kids, who do so much sacrificing. And I really don’t know how you all do it....But I am grateful that you are who you are, and that you make those sacrifices. 
 

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama meet with mothers regarding the Affordable Care Act in the Oval Office, Dec. 18, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

On Wednesday afternoon, President Obama and the First Lady met with a group of moms (and one aunt!) in the Oval Office to talk about how health reform has benefitted their families. They talked about the critical role that moms are playing in helping their families access quality, affordable health care by encouraging their adult children, family members and their peers to sign up for coverage.

Because many women in the group know first-hand why having the security of health insurance is so important, they’ve been working tirelessly to make sure that everybody in America is able to get high-quality health care coverage that provides them with financial protection and looks after them when they get sick.

“I think this conversation really drove home in a very personal way why this is important,” President Obama said. “Sometimes here in Washington, this is a very abstract conversation or an entirely political conversation. But when you boil it down to stories and people hear what it means to have the security of solid health insurance at an affordable price when you need it, it reminds me at least of why we've been fighting so hard to get this done.”