Liz, the book predates ISBN!

The Thirteen Days of Christmas, by Jenny Overton, published 1972 by Faber and Faber, 1977 by Puffin.

I think it may not be a very good source, in the sense of giving more than can easily be found elsewhere. Carols come from The Oxford Book of Carols, and the Child Ballads, modernised in an anthology of verse called Young Pegasus, Part IV, arr. A A Le M Simpson, published 1936 by G Bell & Sons Ltd. One comes from Singing together, autumn 1965. A note on customs says that some are still kept today, some have been abandoned, and some were kept only in this (imaginary) town on this one Christmas.

It's a good funny story, though. I'm glad to be reminded of it, as I can use it for my literacy hour story.

Penny