There’s something special about stepping into a shop during the holiday season and immediately feeling inspired. At Swiss Country Lawn & Crafts, the holidays arrive in layers of greenery, glowing candles, thoughtful gifts, and beautifully styled displays designed to make you want to take a little of that magic home with you. For 37 years, this second-generation, family-owned business has been helping visitors to Ohio’s Amish Country do just that.
Dwight and Mabel Mast started Swiss Country by selling wooden patio furniture from the front lawn of their family home. Eventually, the garage became a small shop offering home décor alongside outdoor furniture. A few years later, they purchased the property just down the road, where Swiss Country remains today.
Over the years, the business has grown into two buildings. One features a large selection of poly patio furniture and garden accents, while the other — formerly a small ranch-style home — has been expanded and remodeled into Swiss Country’s home décor shop.
Particularly in the home décor shop, fall and winter are some of the Swiss Country team’s favorite times of year. From October to December, the shop transforms into a festive wonderland, with layered displays featuring seasonal décor and all the finishing touches that make a home feel warm and welcoming.
Carrie Mast, daughter of founders Dwight and Mabel and Swiss Country’s co-owner, explains, "We want the shop to be a place that inspires people. We’re passionate about beautiful spaces, but we also want decorating to feel approachable. Our team loves helping someone find the perfect piece for a mantel, putting together a floral arrangement, choosing a gift, or simply giving them an idea they can take home and make their own.”
One thing that sets Swiss Country’s home décor shop apart is the way its merchandise is carefully curated into specific collections. Each collection is designed around a particular color palette, mood, and style, with every item intentionally selected to complement the others.
Carrie explains, “Rather than simply seeing individual products on a shelf, our customers can walk through complete looks and gather ideas for how they might recreate that feeling in their own homes.”
When fall gives way to winter, Swiss Country’s displays grow even more festive, with faux florals and greenery, wreaths, garlands, ornaments, tabletop décor, candles, seasonal accents, and gifts.
“We are especially particular about the quality of our faux florals and greenery, and look for pieces that feel natural and realistic enough to use year after year,” says Carrie. “Our candles are also incredibly popular, with so many seasonal fragrances that become part of the atmosphere of the shop itself.”
Gift-giving is another big part of the holiday season at Swiss Country. The shop offers something for a variety of ages and personalities, from home and lifestyle gifts to presents for children.
Jen & Co. Versa Totes have become a particularly popular holiday gift, allowing shoppers to personalize the look with interchangeable handles that suit the recipient’s style. Other great gifts include gourmet food items, wind chimes, books, wall art, baby items, and clocks.
Swiss Country's children’s area is filled with giftable favorites, including Bukowski Bears, art supplies, Connetix Tiles, and Corolle and Lee Middleton dolls.
That spirit of inspiration is especially evident during Swiss Country’s annual Christmas Open House, held December 1 and 2. It’s a special part of the season for the entire team and gives customers the opportunity to experience the shop fully decorated for the holidays, browse seasonal collections and gifts, and enjoy the festive atmosphere.
During a season centered around traditions, family, and gathering, it’s fitting that one of Swiss Country’s most treasured traditions is the relationship it has built with its customers. Carrie says, “We are incredibly thankful for every person who chooses to walk through our doors. After 37 years, some customers have been shopping with us for generations, and many have truly become friends. Their support has allowed our family business to grow far beyond what my parents could have imagined when they first began selling furniture from their front lawn. We never want to take that for granted. It is such a gift to be a small part of people’s homes, traditions, celebrations, and Christmases year after year.”
What began as a few pieces of wooden furniture on a family’s front lawn has grown into a place where generations of customers return year after year to decorate their homes, find gifts, and create new holiday traditions of their own. At Swiss Country, the magic of the season isn’t just in the displays — it’s in the people, memories, and traditions that continue to fill the shop year after year.
Begin planning your trip to Swiss Country by visiting SwissCountryLawn.com. Swiss Country is located at 2131 State Route 39, Sugarcreek, OH, 44681.
We want the shop to be a place that inspires people. We’re passionate about beautiful spaces, but we also want decorating to feel approachable.