Howard was actually off the hook on Liz's gift..

...if he was thinking quickly. At the button scene where Liz recounts Howard's effort to get the Turboman for Jaimie, and wondered aloud what he got her, Howard turns towards the camera with that "oh sh!t" look.

Since his Suburban was stripped to the shell and Liz would learn this, he could easily say that he "lost everything" he had in that truck. It would seem unlikely that he would arrange to have the truck stripped to cover a lie. Day after Christmas, heads to the mall and replaces the missing gift. If the parade scene had never happened, he could have said he picked up the doll at the office that morning as he said he was going to, but the doll also disappeared when the truck was stripped. Sure, Chaymee would be disappointed, but at least Liz wouldn't be so upset.

And I would have still kept that Spanish speaking assemble-it-yourself Turboman. If I couldn't find a regular doll, I would at least have that to present on Christmas morning. Had to be better than handing over the radio station's coupon for the doll, no?

And yes, I know this is a movie script, but thanks for reading!

It is bad to drink Jobus rum. Very bad.