DateTime fileDate, closestDate;
  List<DateTime> theDates;

  fileDate = DateTime.Today;       //set to the file date
  theDates = new List<DateTime>(); //load the date list, obviously

  long min = Math.Abs(fileDate.Ticks - theDates[0].Ticks);
  long diff;
  foreach (DateTime date in theDates)
  {
    diff = Math.Abs(fileDate.Ticks - date.Ticks);
    if (diff < min)
    {
      min = diff;
      closestDate = date;
    }
  }