BOSTON -- "Desperate Housewives" star and Massachusetts native Marcia Cross was back home for the holidays.

NewsCenter 5's Mary Saladna reported that Cross put her domestic diva character, Bree Van De Kamp, aside to help Boston's newest magazine kick off the holiday season.

Cross, a Marlborough, Mass., native, graces the holiday edition of Boston Common magazine.

To honor the cover girl, the magazine threw Cross a party at the Wang Center.

"I'm looking out there now, I see people I went to high school with, friends I grew up with, my mom is in there somewhere, my family. It is fantastic," Cross said.

"She is really nice, she loves the kids. She is a great person," Cross' cousin, Laura Lanfear said. "It is fun to watch her and our friends love to see her on TV."

Cross' fiance, investment banker Tom Mahoney, was not at the party, although Cross said he was in town for the holiday to meet her family.

"My mother had met (Mahoney), but not all of my family. But now he has met everyone except one niece," Cross said.

Cross gave few clues as to what is next for her "Desperate Housewives" character, Bree. Is psychotic pharmacist and former fiance George really gone for good?

"Everybody seems to think everyone is going to rise from the dead, don't they? I really don't know. I think there may be some guilt (for Bree)," Cross said.

"Desperate Housewives" can be seen Sunday at 9 p.m. on WCVB-TV.