As October is less than a week away, it’s prime time for Halloween junkies to start turning their humble offices, kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms, and heck, even doghouses into pumpkin-scented, fog spewing shrines celebrating all things orange, black, and blood red.

And for those who are unsure on where to start, then Count Chocula, Franken Berry, and Boo Berry have the perfect starter kit for you. See, while the common versions of those cereals produced for mass sale have futuristic augmented reality compatibility, the Target exclusive boxes spurn those pesky Millennials and their new-fangled “apps” in favor of something a bit more charmingly old school.

See, by combining the three boxes like a sugar-coated Triforce, you can build Count, Frank, and Boo’s sleek bachelor pad…err, I mean “spooky castle.” But I won’t waste more time with introductions.

Let’s grab some scissors!

Speaking of Zelda references, the awesome cel-shaded box art alone makes these boxes like the Wind Waker to the normal boxes’ Ocarina of Time (last year’s boxes are clearly the Majora’s Mask). To all my jock readers out there: sorry for nerding out. You can open your eyes again.

Now, I’m not very crafty; I was that kid in art class who preferred to just pour the Elmer’s Glue on his fingers and enjoy the perverse satisfaction of peeling it all off when dry. But for these boxes, I made an exception.

Each monster brings something else to the table (except no one brought an actual table, ironically enough), and Count Chocula, the egotistic leader that he always has been, brought the door, the fiery torches, and most of the whole dang second floor, for that matter.

Franken Berry, as the chintzy, bolt-necked dolt that I’ve always suspected him to be, only contributes the castle’s library, storage space, and small living room. Can a lurching creature like him even read those books, or does he just have them sitting out there to impress the ladies with his leather-bound books and scent of rich mahogany? And for that matter, why does a monster that’s terrified of fire even have a fireplace?

Oh, Franken Berry and his insecurities. He may have been created by a doctor, but where’s his psychiatrist?

(Also, check out the tongue-in-cheek reference to Yummy Mummy’s disappearance on the second floor coffin. And, oh dear, don’t tell me that’s Frute Brute’s skull! I never thought a cardboard castle would make me shed a tear over the hypothetical loss of a cartoon werewolf, but here we are.)

Finally, the always logical Boo Berry quite literally puts the roof over everyone else’s heads. He also brought some much needed furniture to build the castle’s internal atmosphere. Like that mooching roommate we all had in college, the other monsters contribute nothing. Come on guys, you at least could’ve brought a futon. What if Frank actually brings a lady home?

After painstakingly cutting everything out (don’t judge my rugged cut lines; I was also that kid who had his mom cut everything for him), I rested my sore fingers and marveled at the cardboard pile. Now the fun could really begin.

The instructions were simple, and with the help of a little tape, I had this beauty constructed in no time. I felt like a real 21st century architect, and knowing that I had provided a habitat for inhumanity warmed my heart. The monster boys looked happy in their cobweb-filled abode, and I couldn’t wait for them to invite other action figures over for a wicked housewarming fiesta.

“Welcome Skeletor, welcome Optimus Prime. Try some of Count Chocula’s fruit punch. Err..wait…maybe skip the punch.”

So if you need a surefire way to put yourself in maximum Halloween spirit overdrive, I advise you skedaddle to your closest Target stores and buy all three. Do some wrist stretches (with this much cutting, you’ll need it), pour a bowl of all three cereals (wait, how am I supposed to store this stuff when all my boxes are full of holes?) play the Monster Mash on infinite repeat, and go wild! I don’t know about you, but I’m making this baby a countertop centerpiece until roughly next January.

And it’s so nice to see that the Count, Frank, and Boo are comfortable enough with each other to share a chocolate Jacuzzi.

I smell a sitcom!