Best line from last night’s Mark Wahlberg Talks to Christmas Animals skit on the last new SNL of the year (and the decade): “Hey partridge, how’s it hanging? Where’s your pear tree? Oh, there it is. So, you were in that song, ‘The 12 Days of Christmas.’ I was in The Happening … did you see that movie?” Aside from his digital videos, his Mark Wahlberg impersonation is Andy Samberg‘s best Saturday Night Live bit:

Host James Franco‘s monologue was also funny – he poked fun at his college career and his new General Hospital gig – but the second best holiday-themed skit of the night came late in the episode: Vincent Price’s 1954 Christmas Special. Bill Hader continues to prove himself to be one of the most talented, versatile SNL stars ever, and it was fun to see Franco, who starred in TNT’s 2001 biopic of James Dean, reprise the role:

By the way, NBC has announced the host/musical guest line-up for the first two new episodes of 2010: On January 9, Charles Barkley returns as host for the second time, with musical guest Alicia Keys, and on Jan. 16, Ugly Betty star America Ferrera hosts for the first time, with musical guest Green Day. Can’t wait to see if Kenan Thompson busts out his Barkley impersonation in a Barkley vs. Barkley showdown …