Help! Help! HELP!

[Imeera]

I am quite new to Paganism, and I am still figguring a few things out. AT the moment I am utterly confused about dates. WHEN exactly do you celebrate the Sabbats? I know there are dates, for example today is Mabon (Merry Mabon!) but I have seen about three different dates for Mabon! Which day is it exactly? Do I do it on the days that are set? For example the 1st of May for Beltaine and the 31st of October for Samhain? Or go by the dates like the longest day this year is.... Or the day where the night and day is equal this year is....

Which one? Or doesn't it matter? Will it just be easier to do it on fixed dates?

I hope I am making scense xD

[Seren_]

Some people celebrate fixed dates - usually September 21st for Mabon. This is usually for ease of remembering.

Some people celebrate the actual date of the equinox, which doesn't always coincide with the fixed date. This is usually to tie in with the magical tides of the Sun - the equinoxes are generally seen as magical tidal changes as the light tips to the dark or vice versa.

Some people celebrate based on the astrological date, when the Sun is at a specific degree of a star sign (so Mabon would be celebrated on the 24th this year). This is usually for magical reasons to harness specific planetary energies (so just coming into Libra for Mabon).

Some people - especially those who work in groups - celebrate together at the nearest date possible to Mabon (whenever they decide it falls), to accommodate conflicting schedules, life etc. They may also take into consideration the phase of the moon, and choose a date when the moon is at its best for particular types of workings if they intend to do any magic.

Some people celebrate their Sabbats/festivals when they see the right sort of signs - the first fruits appearing for Lugnasad, for example.

How and when you decide to celebrate depends on your particular path or tradition, or what you decide is best for you if you don't identify with a path or tradition. So it's a bit of both I guess ;)

[thought_on_a_wind]

since I'm a solitary eclectic of the non-traditional variety I cannot provide too much help aside from I always celebrate Samhain on both the 30th and the 31st... I understand your confusion as far as dates because that usually depends on the tradition you follow, however, I can say that though the occasion occurs on Imbolc, i've always celebrated it on 2-2 of every yr for a triplicity of reasons:

1. feb second is the most obscurely accepted holiday no one gets off... Groundhogs day... Let's sit in the third person perspective chair and take a gander, shall we? The whole object of the day... the whole point without any direct relevancy to a major event in history, or any sort of legitimate reference (okay, so I'm venting this without visiting wikipedia... I'll be there after I brain dump) to a certain faith... is to sit down, look at a hole in the ground, and watch that hole to see if a foot or more long rodent pops its head out of a hole... that's it... no one has a parade, it's referenced in the news briefly, and everyone moves on as if nothing happened... for me that's an amazing reason to love that holiday... and associate it with Imbolc...

2. I do not like starting a month out with a major point of religion... that day is mine !!! I'll use it however I want :D

3. I need that freudian ego boost so I can say I was born on a Sabbat (my b-day :) ), it's also a convenient way for me to say happy birthday me!! and Happy b-day earth, father god... the groundhog that is Tom isn't scared of his shadow... could you please cut all this snow out?? Since I associate the groundhog with myself in such a way (akin to being a dog in the chinese zodiac) it leads to all sorts of superstitions with the creatures.... which is why I'll never kill one intentionally, nor taste groundhog meat no matter how delectible one might smell (this is of course after the thing was shot... not roadkill... and prepared by a top notch cook)...

I ramble because of my obsession w/that particular sabbat, but I'd certainly suggest you either ask a guide to the path you wish to pursue, or at the very least peruse the COT archives to see if there is anything there of interest to help guide you.