Santa & The Elves

In this darkly comedic holiday sketch, Santa's three elves (Kenan Thompson, Vanessa Bayer, and Ryan Gosling) purposely don't make any toys in hopes that Santa (Bobby Moynihan) will discipline them. The elves are clearly masochistic and keep making increasingly suggestive comments trying to provoke Santa into punishing them, but Santa remains completely oblivious to their inappropriate intentions. The sketch features the elves making double entendres about being "bad" and needing to be disciplined, while Santa innocently tries to understand why his workshop isn't producing toys. Mrs. Claus (Aidy Bryant) makes a brief appearance at the end. The sketch is notable for Ryan Gosling's memorable facial expressions throughout and his struggle to keep from breaking character.

Ryan Gosling was visibly trying not to break character throughout the sketch, with his facial expressions becoming a highlight. The sketch aired as the final live sketch before goodnights on December 5, 2015. The video has accumulated over 2.6 million views on YouTube. Viewer comments frequently mention Gosling's facial expressions and the moment he drops a gumdrop. Many viewers compared the sketch to "50 Shades of Grey" due to its BDSM undertones. Despite mixed critical reception, the sketch has become memorable for Gosling's performance. The episode was Ryan Gosling's first time hosting SNL. This was the final sketch before the In Memoriam segment for SNL wardrobe crew member Jenna Krempel.