Christmas? or Winter Solstice

St Valentine's Day supposedly began in the year that Valentinus was martyred, but it was not until 496 that he received an official saint's day, and much later that the tradition of love letters and gifts began.

Valentines Day

which holiday can be traced back to 5000 bc

1) Here are the main events, births and deaths in 269 AD: "Events - By Place - Roman Empire Claudius II repels a Gothic invasion of the Balkans at Naissus, and settles a number of Goths in vacant lands in the Danubian provinces. The Heruli capture Athens. - Africa Zenobia proclaims herself queen of Egypt. The library at Alexandria is partly burned during a raid by Zabdas, general of Zenobia. - By Topic - Religion January 5 — Pope Felix I succeeds Pope Dionysius as the 26th pope. Paul of Samosata is deposed as Patriarch of Antioch (though he is not removed until 272). - Births Murong Hui, Xianbei chief and Duke Xiang of Liaodong - Deaths Saint Valentine (executed by Claudius II) Lu Kai, nephew of Lu Xun Wang Kang, prefect of Yongchang Wang Xiang " Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/269 2) In this context, I suppose that you are refering to Valentine's Day, which is an Holiday in the US: "Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14. In the Americas and Europe, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished." "In the 1969 revision of the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints, the feastday of Saint Valentine on 14 February was removed from the General Roman Calendar and relegated to particular (local or even national) calendars for the following reason: "Though the memorial of Saint Valentine is ancient, it is left to particular calendars, since, apart from his name, nothing is known of Saint Valentine except that he was buried on the Via Flaminia on 14 February." The feast day is still celebrated in Balzan and in Malta where relics of the saint are claimed to be found, and also throughout the world by Traditionalist Catholics who follow the older, pre-Vatican II calendar." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine%27s_Day Further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine