Christmas Cootie Catcher (Free Printable)
The classic paper fortune teller wearing its winter coat: snow, star, gift, and bell corners, twelve holiday fortunes, and fold lines printed right on the sheet. Print, cut, fold — five minutes to party-ready.
- Cut out the square.
- Fold corner to corner both ways; unfold (crease guides).
- Fold all four corners into the middle. Flip, repeat.
- Open the four pockets, pick a word, spell it out, pick a number, lift a flap!
PNG version — the exact file Download PNG saves
A Christmas fortune teller, minus the fuss
Instead of colors, this version spells holiday words: players pick SNOW, STAR, GIFT, or BELL and spell it out letter by letter while the catcher opens and closes. It’s the same playground mechanic with a December vocabulary bonus — and yes, spelling B-E-L-L four times is somebody’s idea of a great sleigh ride.
The fortunes here are holiday fortunes: cozy blessings, small kindness nudges, and gentle December reminders (check the list twice). They are written for kids but they play fine at the family table — pass one catcher around after dinner and let every guest draw a fortune. Twelve fortunes ship with the page, so re-folds stay fresh.
Classroom angle: it’s a zero-prep party station. Fold a handful during morning work, and the catchers run themselves at the holiday party — partners take turns, every round ends with a read-aloud, and the noise stays at the fun level. For a quieter version, swap in the fortunes from the main library page and let students write their own.
Teaching tips
Party station
Two folded catchers + one printed instruction sheet = a self-running holiday party table. Rotate partners every few fortunes.
Spell the word
The Christmas twist: spelling S-N-O-W or B-E-L-L out loud is the game. Younger kids get letter practice without noticing it’s practice.
Kindness countdown
Draw one fortune per December morning as a mini advent ritual — the gentle warnings double as calm-down reminders in a loud season.
Stocking-stuffer trick
Fold one, tuck it in a card or stocking. Flat, free, and it survives the trip better than a candy cane.
Frequently asked questions
How does the Christmas version work?
Same as the classic, but you pick and spell a holiday word — SNOW, STAR, GIFT, or BELL — instead of a color, then a number, then lift a flap for your fortune.
Is it just for kids?
The fortunes are written for kids but play fine at a family table. Adults drawing fortunes after dinner is a reliably funny five minutes.
What if my printer is black and white?
It works fine. The corner words are printed as text — the game token is the word itself, not the ink color.
Can I use my own fortunes?
Yes — fold it, lift the flaps, and write inside with a fine marker. The fortunes page has 36 more you can copy from.