Angelina Jolie and her children looked happy as they hit the slopes in Colorado over the new year.

The family, which is probably glad to see the back of 2016 after a messy split between Angelina and her ex Brad Pitt , were pictured all smiles in Crested Butte on New Year’s Day.

Mother-of-six Angelina hit the slopes with Zahara, Vivienne and Knox and were joined by a ski instructor, who helped the youngsters improve their technique.

Angelina, who brought along a bodyguard for their safety, also stepped out in the town with Shiloh and Knox to head for some sweet treats.

Angelina and her family hit the slopes before getting some retail therapy (Image: MEGA)

Angelina Jolie looked happy as she held hands with Vivienne (Image: MEGA)

The family were seen piling out of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, where they were carrying large ice cream cones.

Angelina, who kept covered with a thick black ski jacket with a furry lining on the hood, looked happy and healthy as she carried a take-out box.

Angelina, who got herself a hot drink instead of an ice cream, reportedly treated her family to the store’s specialty caramel apples.

The family were accompanied by one bodyguard and stopped by the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory store and Pooh’s Corner Toys. (Image: MEGA)

Angelina and the kids spent half an hour in the store (Image: MEGA)
The family, who have retreated to a ski in and ski out chalet, were also seen hitting the local toyshop and a bodyguard was later reportedly seen carrying out bags of items. Looks like Christmas came again for the Jolie-Pitt kids.

“They all looked great,” a source told E! News.

“Shiloh was so happy. They were laughing a lot and just enjoying being out together.”

It comes amid reports that Brad had his “worst” Christmas ever following his split from Angelina .

The couple’s divorce battle has become bitter, and late last year a request from the actor to see more of their six children was rejected.

Now, a source told the Mail on Sunday that he has told friends it has been the “worst holiday season” of his life as he tries to come to terms with the breakup.

Brad is said to be upset (Image: Splash News)
“He desperately misses having his kids with him for Christmas and New Year,” the insider added.

“He’s broken down in tears so many times – he’s not ashamed to cry anymore. Brad is like a broken man.”

It comes weeks after Pitt’s lawyers stated that Jolie “has no self-regulating mechanism” to prevent sensitive information about their children and divorce becoming public through the media.

The actor’s legal team filed a memorandum in a Los Angeles court on December 21 explaining to a judge why he wants information about the divorce and the custody of their six children sealed from the public.

Actor Brad Pitt arrives at the premiere of the film “Allied” in Madrid (Image: Reuters)
In the paperwork Pitt, 53, accuses Jolie, 41, of compromising their children’s privacy and not acting in their “best interest”.

The move from Pitt comes weeks after a judge refused to take emergency action to seal the file but told the actor he could apply for the case to be sealed in January 2017.

Pitt’s lawyers also drafted a proposed order which they would like the judge to approve at the January hearing, which will be at a court in Los Angeles.

Earlier this week Brad’s demands to see more of his children were rejected by his ex-wife as their divorce battle became increasingly bitter, and the star was said to be facing a Christmas alone.

Brad has accused Angelina of having: ‘No self-regulating mechanism’
The details emerged as the actor’s request to seal sensitive court documents in his custody fight with the Tomb Raider star was denied by a judge.

However, Superior Los Angeles Court Judge Richard Burdge Jr did not rule out sealing specific documents, including those related to the couple’s children.

Before the hearing, which neither Pitt and Jolie attended on Wednesday, lawyers for both sides reportedly submitted information via emails to the court that shed light on the increasingly acrimonious dispute involving access to their six children.

The actor’s attorney Lance Spiegel claimed in one that while his client has complied with the child therapy process, ‘the therapy team has ignored or disregarded issues that [Brad] has raised.’

Brad Pitt denied chance to see children for Christmas (Image: REX)

The actress is seeking permanent sole custody of their six children (Image: Rex Features)
He added: ‘Regardless of [the therapists’] views, there is no reason for Brad not to request court orders for more access to the children.’

At the end of November Pitt’s lawyers had asked Jolie’s legal team if the actress would agree to greater visitation during December between him and the children, in a number of 30 to 60 minute monitored sessions(nh)

US website TMZ states the mum-of-six rejected the request.

Her attorney Laura Wasser accused Pitt and his attorneys of ignoring the best interests of the children as decided by the therapists.

Currently a temporary custody arrangement is in place that sees Jolie have custody of the children as professionals make decisions about visitation.

Jolie currently has temporary custody of all of the couple’s children (Image: FameFlynet)
It followed the launch of investigations by child services and the FBI into an incident between the World War Z star and son Maddox, 15, on a private jet flight in September.

The probes were launched after Pitt, allegedly got “verbally abusive” and “physical” with his eldest son.