U+2728 · emoji since 2010
Sparkles make anything feel a little magical. People wrap words in them for ✨ emphasis ✨, sprinkle them on good news, and use them to mark fresh starts, clean rooms, and main character moments.
There's also a softly ironic side: putting sparkles around something mundane is a beloved way to be dramatic about nothing. Either way, it's one of the prettiest and most flexible emoji there is.