We used to get, "Wait til your father comes home!" all the time. The poor man would totter in after a long day's work and have to smack bottoms before he'd even taken his overcoat off.

Also, if one spilled some salt, she'd tell us, "Throw a pinch over your left shoulder to shame the devil." (Apparently it was Lucifer who made people spill salt)

If there was a thunderstorm, she'd get us to turn all mirrors to the wall and put knives and scissors away, to stop them 'attracting the lightning.'