LATHAM, N.Y. -- With Christmas quickly approaching, decorating the Capital Region is a holiday priority, and why not start with the tree? This year, a Latham family is donating their 50 foot tall spruce to Empire State Plaza. 

Grandfather Michael Scott never budged at his wife’s desire to decorate their massive 50 foot tree for Christmas, but this year he had a change of heart.

“My wife always loved Christmas and few years after we got here she wanted to decorate the tree and I said, 'not capable for me to do that,'" said Scott.

Scott’s wife passed away 8 years ago. He says she simply lived for Christmas and wanted the spruce in front of their home to be decorated.

This year, to honor her memory, Scott came through with a holiday miracle.

“It was a process trying to find where to call I looked on the internet and started calling people in the government next day they were up here, looked at it, said they’d let me know and had a few others to look at and here we are," said Scott.

With the push of a button, the Scott family will light their tree on December 3 at Empire State Plaza for the New York State Tree Lighting and Fireworks celebration, which starts at 1 p.m.