Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie spend Christmas in New Orleans

Hollywood couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are spending Christmas at their New Orleans home this year.

The couple, along with their children, Maddox, Pax, Zahara & Shiloh, will be in one big assembly, says Pitt, 44 - who's expecting a big family gathering at their home in the French Quarter of the city.

The 'Ocean's 11' star celebrated his 44th birthday last week by going cycling with the kids - and he and Jolie love their Louisiana base, which they bought last spring, because they don't get hassled there.

"We have some semblance of real family life," he explains. "People have been very, very gracious with us. If we're on the front deck, people go by and say, 'Hi'. Then they go on their way, very friendly."

In their Christmas stockings this morning, the Jolie-Pitt kids can expect to find toy helicopters - Brad's favorite plaything when he was a kid.

"I like helicopters,' Brad told a TV show on Monday. "[I'm] going to try to push them on the kids."

Brad is just a big kid when it comes to Christmas - and wants his children to have really happy memories of the festive season. He says he really enjoys getting wrapped up in their excitement.