I'm not sure what side of the line this question should go. I put it above as folk traditions in my view would come under this. At the same time, it would also apply to any other aspects of history.

So, to expand the question, at what point does history become confined to the history books?

Firstly, if people who lived and experienced historical events or ways of life are still alive, then this is clear cut living history.

Secondly, and the one I would tend to go for, is history is still living history when the descendants of those who knew or experienced the events or ways of life are still alive, through first hand accounts.

Thirdly, could it be argued that archived first hand media accounts keep history in living memory>

Another possible 'cut-off' may be the impact of what has happened in the past is still with us today, and therefore we are still living those moments of history. But then again some aspects of much older history - in UK Magna Carta, in US the war of independence still have an effect to this day.

I would like to see how this develops, both from a purely historical point of view, and also in the context of folk traditions and those whose daily lives were impacted from these traditions.