By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 06:40 EST, 20 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:56 EST, 20 December 2013 . The 'Downton Effect' has sparked a trend for formal festive celebrations in homes throughout the UK, with sales of fish knives, candelabras and elaborate, Lady Mary-style gowns soaring. Britons will be dressing up for Christmas Day, with 64 per cent of women opting to wear an evening dress, heels and jewellery at lunch, compared to just 29 per cent in 2012. But it doesn't stop with the dress: Christmas . tables will also be fit for Lord and Lady Grantham. Premium glassware, cutlery and crockery have . been flying off the shelves in recent months, with dessert spoons up 43 . per cent, fish knives up 37 per cent, and best china soaring by 59 per . cent. Soup spoons and pastry forks have also seen an increase, according to research by Debenhams. Downton Abbey has sparked a trend for more festive Christmas celebrations, with sales of elaborate glassware and crockery soaring, along with candelabras . Sales of formal occasion dresses at the department store have rocketed 32 per cent in the last couple of months, as British beauties snap up glamorous gowns similar to those worn by Lady Mary and her sisters in Downton Abbey. Women spend 42 minutes getting dressed on Christmas Day, on average, applying make-up and styling their hair before appearing at midday to face their public. And 43 per cent of women having bought either a new piece of jewellery or pair of heels to wear on the day, with 35 per cent hoping they will find a handbag under the tree to complete the look. A still from this year's Downton Abbey Christmas special, which is screened on ITV on Christmas Day at 8.30pm . Women spend 42 minutes getting dressed on . Christmas Day, on average, applying make-up and styling their hair . before appearing at midday to face their public - and this year the intention is to emulate the Crawley family . Ed Watson, spokesman for Debenhams says: 'The Downton ladies know how to dress for any occasion, so it's little surprise their style has influenced this year's festive dress code. 'It's a similar story when it comes to Christmas tables - we have always seen a peak in posh tableware sales at this time of year but the increase in fish knives and dessert spoons shows that people are paying particular attention to their table setting this year.' Upmarket tableware has been flying off the shelves in recent months with table runners up 29 per cent, crystal glassware up 32 per cent, and candelabras up 31 per cent. The Downton Abbey Christmas of 2011 . Ed Watson continues; 'Our customers are taking as much pride in their wardrobe as they are their home and are investing in items which will give them a sense of one-upmanship amongst their guests. 'We have seen a rise in the popularity of place settings and table dressing with 'best china' and crystal glassware sales soaring. Our customers are bidding to outdo the Jones' this Christmas with lavish table displays. 'We are thrilled our customers are recreating the Downton look at home and it just shows you don't need to a team of servants to do it.' Areas where formalwear and formal tableware sales have been most popular include; Birmingham, Belfast and Doncaster, showing sales rates of knives and forks that were nearly equal. An array of royal celebrations in recent years including; the Royal Wedding and the Queen's Jubilee were also given as reasons behind the change in a survey of 2,000 customers. Ed Watson concludes; 'Come early evening when the relatives leave and the silverware has been washed, women can take off the glitz and retreat into a snuggly onesie, leaving the glamour to the Crawley ladies.' The Downton Abbey Christmas special is screened on ITV on Christmas Day at 8.30pm .
Sales of premium tableware have risen by around 45% .
Some 64% of women wear evening dress, heels and jewellery at lunch .
Debenhams research shows rise in table runner and pastry fork sales .
By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 06:40 EST, 20 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:56 EST, 20 December 2013 . The 'Downton Effect' has sparked a trend for formal festive celebrations in homes throughout the UK, with sales of fish knives, candelabras and elaborate, Lady Mary-style gowns soaring. Britons will be dressing up for Christmas Day, with 64 per cent of women opting to wear an evening dress, heels and jewellery at lunch, compared to just 29 per cent in 2012. But it doesn't stop with the dress: Christmas . tables will also be fit for Lord and Lady Grantham. Premium glassware, cutlery and crockery have . been flying off the shelves in recent months, with dessert spoons up 43 . per cent, fish knives up 37 per cent, and best china soaring by 59 per . cent. Soup spoons and pastry forks have also seen an increase, according to research by Debenhams. Downton Abbey has sparked a trend for more festive Christmas celebrations, with sales of elaborate glassware and crockery soaring, along with candelabras . Sales of formal occasion dresses at the department store have rocketed 32 per cent in the last couple of months, as British beauties snap up glamorous gowns similar to those worn by Lady Mary and her sisters in Downton Abbey. Women spend 42 minutes getting dressed on Christmas Day, on average, applying make-up and styling their hair before appearing at midday to face their public. And 43 per cent of women having bought either a new piece of jewellery or pair of heels to wear on the day, with 35 per cent hoping they will find a handbag under the tree to complete the look. A still from this year's Downton Abbey Christmas special, which is screened on ITV on Christmas Day at 8.30pm . Women spend 42 minutes getting dressed on . Christmas Day, on average, applying make-up and styling their hair . before appearing at midday to face their public - and this year the intention is to emulate the Crawley family . Ed Watson, spokesman for Debenhams says: 'The Downton ladies know how to dress for any occasion, so it's little surprise their style has influenced this year's festive dress code. 'It's a similar story when it comes to Christmas tables - we have always seen a peak in posh tableware sales at this time of year but the increase in fish knives and dessert spoons shows that people are paying particular attention to their table setting this year.' Upmarket tableware has been flying off the shelves in recent months with table runners up 29 per cent, crystal glassware up 32 per cent, and candelabras up 31 per cent. The Downton Abbey Christmas of 2011 . Ed Watson continues; 'Our customers are taking as much pride in their wardrobe as they are their home and are investing in items which will give them a sense of one-upmanship amongst their guests. 'We have seen a rise in the popularity of place settings and table dressing with 'best china' and crystal glassware sales soaring. Our customers are bidding to outdo the Jones' this Christmas with lavish table displays. 'We are thrilled our customers are recreating the Downton look at home and it just shows you don't need to a team of servants to do it.' Areas where formalwear and formal tableware sales have been most popular include; Birmingham, Belfast and Doncaster, showing sales rates of knives and forks that were nearly equal. An array of royal celebrations in recent years including; the Royal Wedding and the Queen's Jubilee were also given as reasons behind the change in a survey of 2,000 customers. Ed Watson concludes; 'Come early evening when the relatives leave and the silverware has been washed, women can take off the glitz and retreat into a snuggly onesie, leaving the glamour to the Crawley ladies.' The Downton Abbey Christmas special is screened on ITV on Christmas Day at 8.30pm .
Christmas Day, with 64 per cent of women opting to wear an evening dress, heels and jewellery at soaring by 59 per . cent. Soup spoons and pastry soaring, along with candelabras . Sales of formal have seen a rise in the popularity of place formal tableware sales have been most popular