Need some feedback on proposal dilemma

Some background info that may help some of you with offering up some advice:

My girlfriend is 28 and the middle child of three female siblings. She was born on Christmas Day in upper Michigan where she lived through college and then moved to the south for work-related purposes. While in college (or shortly after), her mother lost her battle with liver cancer. It was a really hard loss for the the sisters because they were all super close to their mother. It''s still hard on them to this day when holidays roll around. Her mother was born the very small town of Christmas, MI. Yep, it exists! My GF doesn''t get to go visit home, where her father still lives in the same home (not in Christmas, MI), very often. However, she loves it up there and is incredibly excited to go back over Labor Day weekend. I will be going with her to finally visit her roots.

Now, what I considered doing is proposing to her in Christmas, MI. The town her mother was born in and of importance because my GF was born on Christmas Day. I thought it would be a special location for her and one she would associate with her mother. However, when talking about places she wanted me to visit when we go, she spoke of her mother''s hometown. But she told me it''s a pretty depressing place. Her mother grew up really poor and my GF told me that there are still a couple dilapidated trailers there that her mother''s sister (and some other relative) lived in.

So, now I''m almost wondering if this is a good idea. On one hand, I feel like it would be very sentimental to propose there and could possibly turn a depressing impression into a joyous one. But then on the other hand, I feel like that it could be a bad move if my GF only associates depression, poverty, etc. with that place. I want the proposal to be really special but the environment is a critical part of that. What do you think, especially you ladies? Would you be flattered or is this a scenario you wouldn''t care for?

My backup plan is to propose in the mountains of NC, where my GF and I have started going to every December for a joint birthday (me on Dec. 3rd/her on the 25th) trip. That would be really special too and of course, the environment would be great. The downside is that I would have to wait until the first weekend in December. That may be hard to do because I already have the stone, am in the process of getting the setting and I''m really anxious to propose. That''s a long time to wait!!

The only other option is to just propose somewhere else while we''re visiting her old stomping grounds in Michigan but I have no clue where, when, how, etc.

I''d love some feedback. Thanks so much!!