I heard one of my favorite exclamations of all time from my ex-boyfriend, and I haven't heard it since (although I'd like to use it at least once before I die):
Jumpin' Jesus on a pogo stick!!! 
Love it.
Oh, also, I think a lot of expressions are what they are because they just sound good that way--people like alliteration, the way phrases fall together rhythmically, etc. So "hell in a handbasket" just sounds way better than "hell in a canoe."
