HOT TIPS : AWASH IN NEW WAVE OF TITANIC NOSTALGIA MERCHANDISE.

Byline: Barbara De Witt 

The Titanic was no ship of fools. That ill-fated liner has resurfaced in numerous films and finally hit the commercial jackpot with an Oscar-winning film, a sappy song and a blue rhinestone necklace.

And now there's a new wave of nostalgia items, Miz Hot Tips has noticed. Among them are a tiny Limoges porcelain box shaped like the famous ship and priced at $175; an equally small reproduction of the famous ship designed to hang on the Christmas tree for $36; a copy of the same brass desk lamp used on the Titanic, with an engraved plaque, for $127; and a solid brass reproduction of the whistle used by the Titanic first mate to help save 700 lives, priced at $14. Then there's Titanic, the board game, for $16; a copy of the original poster advertising the new White Star Line luxury liner for $49, and a CD of the real pre-World War I music that was played while the ship sank, priced at $16.95. The items are available at numerous stores, but Miz Hot Tips spotted them at Bloomingdale's and Discovery Channel stores.

But wait, there's more. That ship has even made it into Big Dog's holiday catalog with not one, but two parody prints. The Santa Barbara-based company features Leonardo Di Doggie and Gigantic designs on T-shirts and sweat shirts; call [phone] for sizes and prices.

Turkey day alert: Sports Illustrated for Kids talked to a number of sport celebrities and learned that not everybody loves turkey with their cranberry sauce. Snowboarder Terje Haakonsen said he'd prefer reindeer meat, Denver Bronco John Elway said he wanted hamburger soup (honest!), and L.A. Laker star Shaquille O'Neal reportedly prefers cheeseburgers and pizza to turkey and stuffing for Thanksgiving.

Speaking of cranberries (the dog will clean up any gravy spills), the Carpet and Rug Institute says you can get cranberry (and red wine) stains off your carpeting with a solution of one cup lukewarm water and -1/4 teaspoon of non-bleach liquid dishwashing detergent. Dab it on, rinse with warm water and try again if needed. For more stain-removing tips, call the CRI consumer hot line at [phone] or visit the Web site at www.carpet-rug.com.

Here's the skinny: Jenny Craig of Jenny Craig diet centers thinks that stress is what causes weight gain. She says it's a vicious circle because foods with a high fat content have a calming effect, and when we get stressed out we reach for comfort foods. To break the cycle and cook low-fat goodies, check out her new cookbook, ``Simple Pleasures'' (Oxmoor House; $24.95). By the way, the 66-year-old diet expert also says that when you're trying to calm yourself, take a big whiff of comfort spices such as cinnamon, vanilla and cloves. But don't eat them.

Sneak attack: When you can't grind on your in-line skates, try the RB Grind Shoe. It's a nifty idea from Rollerblade Inc. that allows the wearer to jump and slide any time or place with a pair of metal bars hidden in the shoe that float and spin independently of each other. Look for the sneakerlike shoe at sporting good stores for $79.99.

Now, if you just want to look cool and don't care about grinding, check out the all-white K-Swiss Classic tennis shoe that's made a major Hollywood comeback. Among the celebrity fans are Neve Campbell, Jennifer Beals, Natasha Wagner, Puff Daddy and ``Zorro's'' babe, Katherine Zeta-Jones. The sneaks are $55 at Nordstrom, Foot Locker and Sports Authority stores.

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Photo: A tiny Limoges porcelain box shaped like the famed Titanic is priced at $175.