Many years, a December Saturday spent sampling holiday bazaars might have meant soggy – or even snowy – walks between your car and the front door of the school or church. Not today. The bright smiles inside reflected the bright sunshine outside as we stopped at two of the many West Seattle venues with holiday bazaars/sales today. Above, the Highland Park Elementary PTA presented a bake sale and bazaar to raise money for all the things PTA fundraising covers these days – right now, a big concern at HPE is the playground. Among the participants, a Girl Scout troop that came from outside West Seattle:

They’re raising money for a trip to Japan – in 2013. Their leader says she found an online listing for the bazaar, seeking vendors, so they decided it was the place to be. And in the hallway, a rummage sale to raise money for Highland Park students to go to camp:

HP dad Ryan said they’d already sold an entire table of merchandise earlier in the day and they’ve raised enough for three kids to go to camp – though they have more in need (here’s how to help). Also selling their wares today, artists and craftspeople we found in the social hall at the newly dedicated Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation church in Gatewood:

That’s Rose Sheppard, selling some of the pottery she’s made. And Laura Matson told us sales were going great for her handmade shibori cloth works:

Since WSUU just moved into the onetime Gatewood Baptist Church this fall, this is their first holiday bazaar (if you see this shortly after we publish it, they’re there till 4; enter from the church’s north parking lot along California north of Othello). As listed in the morning preview, today had many events like these – but there are still more to come, so keep your eyes on the bazaars/sales/tastings list toward the top of the WSB West Seattle Holidays page.